Fleeing Ozai
by Gd2go2
Summary: After being forced into a corner, Ursa gives Ozai what he wants- a way to take the throne from his father. But while he waited for his father to pass, Ursa takes advantage of this and flees the Palace- with her children, Zuko and Azula. On the run and in disguise they unknowingly set on a path which will shape the future of the world...
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"Ozai, you can't do this!" Ursa demanded of her husband, Prince Ozai.

"I have no choice" he rebutted. "Refusing the Fire Lord's command is treason." He turned his head towards her. "But I am a merciful man. I'm waiting till he's asleep. He won't feel a thing" he said with false sympathy. Ursa scowled at him, knowing he would not care either way if he murdered Zuko in his sleep or if he was wide awake. She also knew that Ozai would not be as kind to Azula, despite favoring her over her brother.

This belief only gave fuel to Ursa's fire of determination to protect her children.

"You listen carefully" she said with a persuasive but powerful voice. "I'm going to make you a deal."

"You have nothing I want" he countered with disdain.

"You want the throne" Ursa said with certainty.

This gave pause to Ozai, and against his better judgment, his curiosity won out. "Go on."

"I know how to make a poison that is colorless and odorless, completely untraceable" Ursa said, knowing she will become an accomplice in the greatest crime that one can possibly commit in the Fire Nation. "It causes a person to pass quietly, as if he'd simply fallen asleep." Ursa took a deep breath before continuing. "I'll give you a vile of it in exchange for Zuko's life. Once the poison is in your hands, you do whatever you wish."

Ozai narrowed his eyes, wondering where Ursa acquired such knowledge. "Where did you learn to concoct such a substance?"

"My mother was a master herbalist" Ursa stated.

"Very clever, dear wife. Very clever" he said, with the last word coated in mild delight. Ursa scowls at him, suspecting he only used her as a means to an end.

"I accept your plan" he continued, "on one condition."

Ursa's eyes widen, dreading what could the terms of Ozai's condition be. But she soon narrowed her own eyes, preparing herself for the worst.

"Once we've made our exchange," Ozai began, "you must leave the Capital City and never show your face again. With you around, it's only a matter of time before a colorless, odorless poison is used against the _new _Fire Lord."

"Fine" Ursa said in reluctant agreement. "But I take my children with me."

"No" Ozai said as he turned to look down on her with narrow eyes. "The children are my collateral. As long as you keep your word, no harm will come to either of them." Ursa's fist clenched tightly under the cuffs of her dress.

"Should you try to stay or take your children with you, however" Ozai continued, "I will hunt you all down. Just like I did with you _precious boyfriend_" he finished with a smirk full of disdain.

Ursa scowls at him before walking away, a quick but risky plan forming in her mind. Before setting off to gather the materials to brew the poison, Ursa sent a messenger hawk to an old friend who was in the capital, trusting him to be ready at the docks when she came.

Ursa headed down to the gardens and gathered the necessary ingredients to make the colorless and odorless poison, but she also gathered a few more ingredients as well, one that will delay the lethal poison, though it will make the victim painfully sick.

But Ursa had no sympathy for the man who ordered for the death of her son.

Before setting off to fulfill her plans, Ursa gathered several personal items and heads to the library to gather as many scrolls and books on firebending on basic, intermediate, and advanced techniques, knowing that they will be an important part of her plan.

After Ursa handed the vile of poison to Ozai, she acted quickly as she heads to her daughter's room. She pulled the covers off of Azula and lifted her gently into her arms. Azula stirred slightly in her mother's arms but remains blissfully asleep.

Ursa made her way to her son's room, quickly but cautiously while keeping an eye for her husband, knowing if he spotted her with Azula, he would figure out she plans on breaking her promise.

Ursa finally made her way into her son's room, wondering how she will carry both of her children while quietly making her way to a boat she had prepared below the Palace that will take her to a sea bearing ship captained by the loyal friend she sent the message to, an old friend from her home village.

As she lifted the covers off of her son, he quickly jumps up shaking with fear, believing this to be his last night on the planet. But instead of his father, he sees his mother holding Azula.

"Mom…?"

"Zuko, my love, please listen to me" Ursa quietly urges, "we must leave."

"Where are we going?" he said as his mother takes his hand and led him outside of his room.

"Somewhere safe" she quietly said with reassurance. "Now please, we must be quiet."

Zuko nods quietly as he followed his mother by the hand. Soon he found himself in the dark corridors of the Palace underground, where he spotted a boat with a man in it. They soon board it, where Ursa put Azula down and directed Zuko to look after her. She stepped away to inform the man that they are to head to the port, where Ursa's friend waited with his ship.

Azula stirred next to Zuko, waking up groggily and taking in her environment. When she noticed it was not her room but rather a tunnel under the Palace, she frowned before spotting Zuko next to her.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"I'm not sure" he replied. "Mom said we must leave."

"Why?"

"Because it's no longer safe here" their mother said as she made her way back to them as the boat took off.

"What? Why isn't it safe anymore?" Azula said while she scowled at her mother.

"Because your father doesn't value your safety like I do" Ursa said with slight disdain.

"But dad wouldn't hurt us" Zuko protested.

"Well he would hurt you…" Azula teased.

"No he wouldn't!" Zuko snapped back.

"Enough, both of you" Ursa demanded. Both children silenced themselves and look toward their mother. She sighed before looking at Zuko with sad eyes.

"Zuko… your father did in fact planned to murder you in your sleep tonight."

Zuko looked back at her with widen and hurt eyes. "He… he did?"

"Yes, but I bargained for your life, and now we must leave the Palace… for good."

"But why do I have to come along?" Azula demanded as the boat left the tunnel and turned towards the docks. "Dad wouldn't hurt me."

Ursa looked at Azula with the same sad eyes. "I'm afraid it will be only a matter of time before he does, for whatever reason."

Ursa smiled gently at both her children. "But no matter what happens, I will NEVER let anyone, or anything hurt either of you." She hugged her children tightly, with Zuko returning the hug just as much. Azula sits there in mild shock, never heard those words coming from anyone, least of all her mother.

"I love you two more than anything" Ursa said quietly, causing Azula to return the hug weakly, doing everything in her power to keep the tears back, unlike Zuko who shook slightly as he wept.

They remained in this embrace as the boat docked next to the ship belonging to Ursa's friend. She led her children aboard and they were greeted by the ship's captain.

"Evening Ursa" he said with a smile. "It's quite fortunate that I was in the capital when you contacted me."

Ursa gave him a small smile of gratitude. "Thank you Quan. I'm so sorry for the late notice."

"Don't worry. It is my pleasure to help a Princess, especially one who's an old friend."

Ursa chuckled softly. "I'm afraid I'm no longer a Princess…"

Quan looked at her in surprise. "But you're husband-"

"He was never my husband" she said bitterly. "The circumstances that led me here with my children are rather… complicated. And it would be safer if you didn't know what they are."

Quan raised an eyebrow but respected his friend's warning. "Very well than. My ship will be departing soon. Let me lead you and your children to your quarters." He said before he smiled at the children. Zuko stood close to his mother, anxiety showing on his face, while Azula stood strongly, surely just as afraid as her brother but refused to show it.

After entering their cabin, Ursa began getting the bed ready for her and her children to sleep in, when Azula spoke up.

"How do you know dad would hurt me?"

Ursa looked at Azula with sad eyes, remembering the day when her daughter was born.

"_A girl?!" Ozai shouted. "You're telling me that my wife gave birth to a _girl_?"_

"_Yes Prince Ozai" the Fire Sage said in mild fear._

"_Get rid of it" Ozai said without any remorse._

"_But Prince, she is going to be a remarkable firebender."_

_Ozai froze and eyes the Sage with disbelief. "How do you know…?"_

"_Because soon after being born, your daughter was crying as newborns do, but she was also releasing small blooms of fire from her hands, feet and mouth" the Sage said in astonishment. "I have never seen or even heard of such a thing. It could mean that she will be one of the most powerful firebenders in history."_

_Ozai took in the Sage's words before he entered the room where Ursa gave birth, who held her daughter protectively, after she heard what Ozai demanded of the Sage and well aware of his disdain of non-benders born into the Royal family._

"_Is it true?" Ozai asked as he walks to them._

"_Yes Ozai" Ursa said while she eyed him cautiously. "We have a daughter who's a firebender."_

_Ozai stared down at the baby girl, who was wide awake and looked at him with inquisitive eyes. Ozai smirked as he noticed the strong spark in her eyes, ones that his son Zuko lacked when he was born._

"_She will truly be a remarkable firebender one day" Ozai said as if she were a weapon rather than his daughter. "And here I thought I wanted her gone."_

_Ursa looked at her husband in shock. "You-you didn't really mean that did you?"_

"_No Prince of the Fire Nation has ever had a non-bender before, and girls are less likely to be firebenders. Imagine the embarrassment were my father to hear of it."_

"_You can't be serious?" Ursa asked, mouth a gapped in shock to have heard that her husband still only valued having children who are firebenders._

"_But I'm sure he will be pleased to see such a powerful bender as a newborn" Ozai said before he smirked, as an idea came to mind. "And her name will be Azula, in honor of her grandfather" he finished, the last part of that statement coated in sarcasm._

_Ozai turned and walked away, leaving Ursa with her daughter Azula. It felt to Ursa that her husband sees his own daughter more as a tool than a human being…_

Ursa blinks as the memory fades away. She cursed herself mentally for not seeing that Ozai did not genuinely cared for his own children.

"Azula…" Ursa said carefully, "have you ever heard of a non-bender being born into the Royal Family before you were born?"

"No I haven't" Azula said. "There has never been a non-bender born into our family."

"Do you know why that is?" Azula shook her head. Ursa sighed before explaining. "After Sozin began the war, he believed only firebenders should be born into the Royal bloodline, and he gave a most hideous order… that no non-bender be born into the family. And from has been observed throughout history, men were more likely to be firebenders than women, so it's always assumed that if someone were to have a daughter, they were likely to be a non-bender."

"That doesn't make any sense" Azula defiantly said.

"It's because that Sozin and his sons believe that if a non-bender to be born into the Royal family would be a major embarrassment." Ursa began wishing she did not have to tell Azula this. "Whenever one was born into the family, they were… cast aside without a thought. And when you were born and your father first heard he had a daughter, he assumed you were a non-bender, and wanted to cast you aside."

"You're lying" Azula said with more defiance. But her sharp mind fought against her emotions, saying that is the only explanation as to why there were no mention of non-benders in her bloodline, and it was true that girls are less likely to be firebenders. It was statistically impossible that none of the pervious Fire Lords or their brothers and sons to not have any non-bending children.

"I'm sorry Azula, but I'm not lying" Ursa said with tears in the corners of her eyes. "If you weren't as gifted as you are… I hate to even think of it."

"No…" Azula whispered. "No, you… you have to be…" Azula tried to call her mother a liar, but her rational mind pieced together another part of the puzzle, making her realize an uncomfortable truth as she remembered that her father only spent time with her when he was teaching her firebending or overseeing her academics.

He never spent time with her because he _genuinely _wanted to.

But Azula stubbornly refused to believe it on some level. She shook slightly as Ursa took her into her arms. Despite her problems with her mother, Azula clung to her, being the only thing offering stability right now for the emotional shock.

Zuko sat nearby, grasping at what his mother was saying. Knowing what his father and forefathers did was wrong, and despite the way Azula treated him, he could not help but feel sorry for his sister and have a strange desire to protect her. He soon joined his sister and mother in a hug, trying to be reassuring as best he could.

* * *

It was done. Azulon has passed and more importantly, named his second son as the Crown Prince, who will be coronated as the Fire Lord in a few short days.

Ozai spent his leisure time near the turtle-duck ponds, to ensure that his wife was well and truly gone. But it had been some time since he has seen either of his children. While Azula had a habit for disappearing for hours at a time, most likely exploring the Palace, it was surprising that Zuko was not around pestering Ozai to where his mother would be.

Ozai called for the Palace's head servant. "Have you seen either of my children?"

"No Prin- Lord Ozai" the servant said, realizing that everyone needed to get use to Ozai's new title.

"Find them" Ozai ordered. The servant bowed and set off to find Zuko and Azula.

Hours later, the same servant returned with a nervous expression on his face.

"My Lord, we… haven't found any sign that your children are here."

"What?" Ozai said with a displeased frown. The servant gulped, his nervousness turning into fear.

"I have questioned every servant and even the chefs in the kitchens. I also ask the General of the Guard and he hasn't seen or heard of them either. He is currently questioning his men. But it appears that no one in the Palace has seen them since yesterday."

Ozai's frown grew deeper with anger coursing through his body. Oh how he would make her pay.

"There is no need to look for the children anymore. They are in fact no longer here."

"My Lord, how-?"

"My wife has been banished for reasons you needn't know, and she has taken the children with her."

The servant's eyes widen, knowing that Ursa would have committed a rather serious crime to be banished, and worsen her circumstances by taking Ozai's heirs with her.

"Send for Colonel Mongke and his Rough Rhinos. I have an important assignment for them."

"Yes my Lord" the servant said before he bowed and took off to the Palace's message center.

Ozai frowned heavily at this unforeseeable turn of a events and cursed himself for trusting his wife too much.

* * *

It was relatively smooth sailing through their journey. Ursa feared that they would be stopped as they left Fire Nation waters, but Captain Quan reassured her that the Fire Navy only intercepts ship coming into the Fire Nation, not ones leaving. While this appeased Ursa, she still was unsure where to go and what to do. She knew that she and her children needed to change their appearance, take up new identities and learn to live simpler lives. Naturally both children, especially Azula, complained that they did not want to leave the comfort of a Royal lifestyle, Ursa did her best that to reassure them that their lives will be better in many ways. Zuko trusted his mother completely, but Azula remained unconvinced, conflict going on in her mind as to whether or not she would be happier in the Palace as a Princess or living in village as a peasant.

On the third day of their journey, it was time to enact the next part of Ursa's plan. With Quan's ship bearing Fire Nation colors, it would be foolish to try and approach Kyoshi Island of the Earth Kingdom.

Ursa and her children changed into Earth Kingdom clothing, much to the dismay of Azula.

"Ugh, I don't like these colors. And these clothes are not soft at all."

"I know they aren't the most comfortable Azula," Ursa said, "but it's for our own safety. We can't let people know we're Fire Nation."

Azula scowled at her, causing Ursa to sigh as she picked up her bag. Zuko leaned closer to his sister, causing Azula to raise an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Let's try to maintain a positive attitude okay?" he said as reassuring as possible. "Who knows? Maybe we'll meet some nice people."

"Yeah, right" Azula said before she pouted.

The children followed their mother onto the deck, where Captain Quan was overseeing the preparation of a simple boat that will take them to Kyoshi Island.

"I guess this is where we part ways" he said sadly.

"Yes, it is" Ursa said with a small and sad smile. "Thank you for helping us escape, but I urge you to maintain a low profile. I can't say for certain that my husband knows about our friendship, but I would assume he knows somehow."

"Don't worry. I take frequent trips outside of the Fire Nation. I should be able to feign ignorance to your departure. And I was planning to sail near these waters for a crabbing trip anyway, so it's both to our benefit."

Ursa smiles, knowing her friend has a reliable plan to protect himself and his crew. She stepped forward to hug him, which Quan returned. Soon Ursa and her children stepped into the boat, which was lowered into the sea.

Ursa, given a quick course on how to sail, began sailing northeast towards Kyoshi Island. But halfway through the trip, Zuko began having symptoms of seasickness. Ursa was forced to divide her attention between her son and sailing the boat, but soon she began focusing solely on him as his symptoms began to worsen.

"Don't worry my love, we'll be on dry land soon" Ursa said as reassuring as possible.

Zuko groans, causing Azula to scoff at his weakness. Despite never sailing before, Azula adapted quickly to being on the water.

Soon the sun began to set on the horizon, causing Ursa to realize that they should have arrived at Kyoshi Island by now, and it began to feel colder. She checked her compass and her eyes widen as she learned they were sailing south. She attempted to direct the boat back on course, but it was no use; the currents were too strong for the boat to handle, and there was no way Ursa could fight against the sea.

Azula took quick notice as the air got colder, and of her mother's frantic attempts to steer the boat.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"It's- it's nothing dear" Ursa lied. "Everything's fine."

Azula furrows her brow. "I know you're lying mom" she growled.

Ursa looked at her daughter, knowing that their relationship was fragile as is, and if she hoped that Azula will stay with her, Ursa needed to be honest with her.

She sighed in resignation. "You're right dear. The currents are much stronger than I thought, and we're sailing south, away from Kyoshi Island."

"So we're lost" Azula said in disdain. "Great."

Ursa looked at her daughter with determination. "Don't worry dear, I will figure out a way to get us to Kyoshi Island, or at least somewhere civilized."

Azula scoffed for what felt like the hundredth time, knowing that there was no where she can go. She forced herself to accept her fate, believing that it will lead her nowhere good.

Little did she know, nor that of her mother or brother, that where they were headed will set them on a path that will shape the future of the world…


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It was a somber moment. It was only a few days after tragedy struck a certain Southern Water Tribe village and the Fire Nation murdered one of the kindest women in the world.

Chief Hakoda stood before his wife's grave, with both his children, Sokka and Katara, hand in hand. Sokka attempted to remain stoic, but his face was downcast because of the intense sadness he felt. Katara was far more affected, with tears streaming down her face as she whimpered. She was awfully close to her mother Kya, often helping her with the chores around the house while her father and brother were out during warrior related tasks.

The Chief's mother, Kanna, slowly walked up to Hakoda and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We need to return to the village Hakoda" she said gently. "The Tribe needs their Chief."

Hakoda nodded in response, knowing he cannot shirk away from his responsibilities for too long. He urged his children to move. Sokka released his hand and began walking back to the village with his Gran-Gran, but Katara stubbornly remained in place, refusing to leave her mother.

"Katara," Hakoda said gently, "we need to return to the village."

"I'm not leaving mom" she said weakly.

"I don't want to leave her either" Hakoda told her. "But we need you with the Tribe." He paused for a moment. "_I _need you with the Tribe."

Katara tensed up, knowing that her mother would want her to take up her responsibilities. She nodded firmly and followed her father back to the village, knowing her childhood had come to an end and now she had to look after her family like her mother did.

It took their village a few days to recover from the raid, both physically and emotionally. But knowing that the Fire Nation will return, and that he and his warriors might be needed in the war, Hakoda called for a meeting between all the Chiefs of the villages scattered throughout the South Pole. Soon a dozen Chiefs sat in a loose circle around a table in the largest tent Hakoda's village can set up.

"Thank you for all of you to come," Hakoda said to begin the meeting. "As you painfully know, all of our villages have suffered much since this war began. That is why I called all of you hear."

"Are you proposing to unite us to take an offensive campaign against the Fire Nation?" Hakkar said, the Chief of a village near the coastline.

"Not precisely" Hakoda said, "but I'm afraid that may be necessary one day. From what I've heard from our Earth Kingdom traders, the war is going poorly for them on the seas."

"That's not surprising" Chief Shikok said. "I can't imagine earthbenders being all that comfortable on the water."

"Maybe so" Hakoda continued, "but we're not starting a campaign, at least if it's avoidable. I called you all here to merge our villages into one community."

The Chiefs remained silent for a moment to ponder this. It is true that all their villages have traded over the years and continued to do so, and it was not unheard of for people of different villages to marry one another. Merging their villages will present its challenges, such as increasing traveling distances to certain hunting and fishing grounds, but the idea of a single community after all they have lost was incredibly appealing.

"I see no reason to oppose this plan" the eldest Chief, Ogek, said.

"Me neither" Hakkar agreed, as several other Chiefs nodded.

"But who will serve as the Chief of this new community?" Shikok asked.

"Why not the man who proposed it?" Ogek wisely suggested.

Many of the Chiefs were taken aback by the elder's suggestion. But soon each of the Chiefs began offering their words of approval, knowing Hakoda had a special talent for working through the toughest problems and for building strong bonds with and between people, including those from the Earth Kingdom.

Hakoda too was taken aback by this, expecting everyone to ask Ogek to be the new Chief.

"Are all of you sure about this…?" Hakoda ask tentatively. "I would have expected for you to want Ogek to be the new Chief."

Ogek chuckles at Hakoda's words. "You have resources and skills I do not that will help us greatly in surviving as one village Hakoda. And I'm aging far faster than I care to admit. I'd like to spend more time with my grandkids."

"Well…" Hakoda began, "if you as the eldest Chief believe this is the best course of action, does anyone oppose this?"

None of the Chiefs spoke up. Hakoda nods confidently, but he did not feel all that confident himself. He has just lost his wife barley a week ago and must raise his two children as a single father. Even though he had his mother's help, she was getting older every day and cannot possibly keep up with Sokka and Katara as they enter their teenage years.

Adding the responsibility as the Chief of a larger village just made him felt more alone than ever.

But he remembered what his predecessor and father once told him: "The people need their Chief as much as a Chief need his people."

If Chief Hakoda hoped to bring this new community together, he will need all the help he can get. And who better to ask but his fellow Chiefs?

"Very well than," Hakoda finally said, "if you wish to have me as Chief, then I ask you to form as my Council of Chiefs, to serve as my advisors and to overrule me if necessary."

"Overrule you?" Hakkar said aghast. "As the Chief, you have final authority for what happens in the village."

"Perhaps that is why the world is in the current state that it is, because one man has too much power" Hakoda said. "If more than two-thirds of you agree that I'm making a decision that is detrimental to the village, than I will cease action and be open to discussion on finding a more agreeable course of action. Does anyone oppose this?"

It was only a moment before all the Chiefs nod approvingly at Hakoda's wise decision, knowing that they selected the right man to lead their new community.

After the Chiefs exited the tent did Hakoda's best friend, Bato, entered the tent to hear what happened.

"How did the meeting go?"

"It went well" Hakoda said. "I'll be the new Chief."

"But you're already our Chief…"

"You mean the Chief of a new combined village?" he replied with a raised eyebrow.

Bato's eyes widen as he realized what happened in the meeting.

"All of the Chiefs agreed to this?" he said in shock.

"Yep they all did" Hakoda said before he smiled slightly.

"I expect you'll tell our village at our community feast tonight?"

"Yeah, after I tell my mother and Katara" Hakoda said as walked over to a small crate that was upside down.

Bato raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Just them? What about Sokka?"

"Oh he already knows…" Hakoda said with a smirk before he lifted the crate, reviling his son's dumbfounded face. Sokka smiled guiltily as he climbed out of the hole he dug and used the crate to hide in.

"Hi, dad" he said as innocently as possible. "Heard you're the new Chief."

"And as his son, you should know better than to sneak into his meetings" Hakoda said in a sternly attempt, but he could not help but marvel at his son's ingenuity.

"But I need to know what happens! It'll make me a better Chief!"

"Better at being a sneaky Chief more like it" Hakoda said before he smiled. "Come on, we have to tell your sister and grandmother about this."

Hakoda and Sokka entered their family igloo, where Kanna and Katara were busy cooking their dish for the community feast. Katara turned and looked at her father with inquisitive eyes.

"How did the meeting go dad?"

"It went better than I expect to be honest" Hakoda said, even surprising himself by that statement. In retrospect, he expected resistance to his proposal. "All the Chiefs agreed to form all of our villages into one."

Kanna smiled at her son. "I knew you would be able to convince them to do so Hakoda."

"And more than that!" Sokka exclaimed with excitement. "He convinced them to make dad the new Chief!"

"Really?!" Katara said with a gleeful smile.

"Well," Hakoda said bashfully with a goofy smile, "it was more like they elected me."

"Still, it's wonderful news son" Kanna said. "They've selected the right man for the position."

"You're just saying that because of your bias mom" Hakoda said with a smirk.

"That's a given" Kanna said with a smile. "But my old spirit knows better than most."

"You're not that old Grand-Grand!" Katara said aghast.

Kanna smiled at her granddaughter. "If only that were the case, my little waterbender."

* * *

They have been drifting for three days, the weather was getting colder with ice glacier becoming more frequent. Ursa sacrificed her own warmer clothing for her children. Zuko's seasickness persisted while Azula grew more and more frustrated with her mother's actions. Ursa in turn began to regret not asking her friend to take a chance to make it to the Earth Kingdom, rather than send them out on a boat.

It truly began to become hopeless.

On the fourth day, Ursa spotted some small ships in the distance. Desperate for any kind of help, she directed the boat towards them, a flicker of hope in her eyes.

As she approached the ships, she noticed that they were Water Tribe. Knowing the Water Tribesman would not take kindly to anyone to the Fire Nation, she decided that it was time to take on their Earth Kingdom facades.

"Children," she began, "I need to tell you that we can't use our names anymore."

"Because people will kill us if they know we're Fire Nation" Azula stated more as a fact than a question. Zuko groaned in displeasure, either out of seasickness or potential death.

Ursa sighed, knowing her daughter has always been much smarter than most children her age. "Yes, so for now on, my name is Noriko. Azula your name is Jing."

Azula rolled her eyes. "That's a stupid name."

Ursa turned toward her son. "Zuko, your name is Lee. Do you understand?"

"Yeah…" he said as strongly as possible.

"Good" Ursa said. "Now I will handle everything. Please don't provoke them in anyway."

"We'll be provoking them by being on their ice" Azula complained.

"Not if we show them gratitude for their help" Ursa urged. "Please Azula, do this for your brother."

Azula scowled at that idea. She much rather torment him rather than help him. But Azula was sick of eating emergency rations and being on this dinky boat. If going along with her mother's ridiculous plan means possibly getting better food and off the waters, so be it.

"Fine" she finally said bitterly. "I'll play along."

Ursa smiled at her daughter in appreciation, only for Azula to scowl again.

It took some time for their boat to reach the Water Tribe ships, who already noticed a struggling ship approaching them. Ursa began waving at them, urging them to approach them. The lead fisherman, Bato, ordered that his ship to approach the boat and pull them alongside them. Once the boat was secured to the ship, Bato and two men climbed aboard and soon spotted Ursa and her children.

"What are you doing here?" Bato asked. "This boat isn't really built for these waters."

"We were forced to abandoned a fishing ship" Ursa lied. Azula glared at her mother but remained silent. "We tried to sail back home to the Earth Kingdom, but the currents pulled us south."

Bato raised an eyebrow and took notice that they did not really look Earth Kingdom. He decided that it would be best to get them to a more secure area before probing for more answers. "The currents tend to push south this time of year. You should have known better."

"We were in a rush I'm afraid" Ursa said with some truth to it. They were on the run from an extremely dangerous man.

Bato smiled in sympathy. "Yes I can understand that. Escaping a sinking ship is no fun experience."

_Neither is escaping a dangerous man, _Ursa thought to herself.

Bato heard a groan behind the woman. He looked over her shoulder and noticed a boy wrapped in blankets and looking ghostly pale, a sure sign of seasickness. Obviously, he did not have his sea legs yet.

"What are your names?" Bato asked.

"My name is Noriko" Ursa lied again. She placed a hand on Azula's shoulder. "This is my daughter, Jing."

Bato smiled at the little girl, who glared at him. He thought it was rather hostile, but perhaps she was scared and trying not to show it.

"And the boy's name?" he asked.

"His name is Lee" Azula spook up. "He's sick because he's a weakling."

"A- Jing, don't be harsh on your brother" Ursa said.

"It can take time for someone to get their sea legs" Bato said with a smile. "We have a few healers in our village. They'll be able to help your son."

"I- I would appreciate that" Ursa nervously said. This was not definitely her plan, but she had no choice except to go along with it, for her children's sake. She turned to Zuko to pick him up, but Bato placed a hand on her shoulder, causing Ursa to look at him in a bit of a panic.

"I can carry him. It'll be easier for me to do so."

"Do you think I can't carry my son?" she said defensively.

Bato chuckled at that. "No I just think you can't carry him from one sea vessel to another safely."

Ursa stared back at him, not wanting to let someone lay a hand on either of her children. But if she wanted to get to the Earth Kingdom, she had no choice but to trust these men.

Bato lifted Zuko up carefully, leading the way back to his ship. One of his men takes Zuko from Bato to transfer the boy between the vessels. Another man offered to help Azula, but she stubbornly refused and managed to jump from the boat to the ship, if only barely given her size. Ursa gladly accepted Bato's help to transfer vessels.

A few hours later, they docked on alongside a wooden pier leading to snow covered ice. Bato again carried Zuko through the snow, slightly amused to watch Ursa and Azula struggle through the snow.

"It takes some time to learn how to walk through the snow" he said reassuringly.

"How do you people _live _here?" Azula complained.

"One day at a time Jing" Bato said with a slight smile. Azula grunted at his remark and her fake name, causing Ursa to give her a meaningful look.

They soon came to the entrance to the village, where the snow was cleared out, giving Ursa and Azula respite. Bato continued to lead them past several igloos and tents. Azula eyed them in disdain, believing they were colder on the inside than the outside.

Soon they approached the largest igloo which housed the Chief and his family. Ursa was amazed by all the igloos, but this one took her breath away. Unlike her daughter, she was truly impressed by the Water Tribes people and their ability to live in such an unforgiving environment.

Bato brought them inside, where an elderly woman was cleaning some dishes, while a young girl about Azula's age was putting away the clean ones. A boy about Zuko's age was sharping an angled weapon that Ursa never saw before. The all took notice of Bato with a bundle of blankets.

"Bringing my family some new blankets Bato?" the elderly woman said with amusement. "You're too kind."

"Not exactly Kanna" he said before gently placing the bundle on some cushions. Kanna took notice of the pale boy wrapped in it. She made her way to him and began diagnosing his aliment. Bato nodded at Ursa before stepping out of the igloo. Ursa worried why he left; was this not his home?

"A simple seasickness" Kanna said like it was a common occurrence and she made her way through the kitchen to gather some herbs and ingredients. "He'll be fine in a day or two dears," she said to Ursa and Azula, correctly guessing they were the boy's family.

"Thank you" Ursa said genuinely. Azula glared at the elderly woman, grateful she was not sick or else she would be touched by some old peasant lady.

Before long, another man entered the igloo, one with long hair pulled into a short tail, with two braids on the right side of his face. What struck Ursa the most was his rather handsome face, especially his sharp blue eyes, which were thoughtful and showed wisdom beyond his years.

"What do we have here mom?" he asked as he looked at each of the guest. He particularly looked at the boy in sympathy, remembering his own seasickness.

"Just a sick boy and his family" Kanna said as she lifted Zuko's head to have him drink some of the herbs she mixed.

Hakoda nodded before facing Ursa. They stared at each other for a moment, Ursa worried about what will happen next. Hakoda eyed her with a slight judgmental look, knowing that his best friend was right to believe that this woman and her children were not from the Earth Kingdom as she claimed.

"My name is Hakoda, the Chief of this village. May I have a word with you in private?" he asked. Ursa froze, not wanting to leave her children with strangers, even if they were an elderly woman and children.

"Okay" Ursa said before she turned to Azula. "Jing, watch out for your brother."

Azula wanted to roll her eyes and scoff at her mother, but if she wanted to stay alive, she had to play along. She nodded in agreement.

Hakoda led Ursa to a bedroom. He closed the wooden door behind them and crossed his arms while staring at Ursa with distrust.

"So Noriko" he finally said, "what brought you to the Southern Water Tribe?"

"My husband's fishing ship sunk" Ursa lied. "He had me and my children abandon ship. I… I don't think he made it" she finished with feign sadness.

"I am sorry to hear that. The currents this time of year can be dangerous, and you're lucky to be alive. Especially since those currents brought you south to us."

"I really appreciate your men helping us" she said with a small smile.

"In the Water Tribe we are honor bound to help those in distress on the seas" Hakoda said proudly. "What part of the Earth Kingdom are you from?"

"Kyoshi Island" she lied.

Hakoda's skepticism increased at this. He had visited Kyoshi Island a few times and he knew they did not need to send out ships to supply them fish from the deep seas. He also does not recall ever seeing a deep sea going vessel there, only small fishing boats. And most important he had the sense that this woman had never handled any tasks that would demand of a fisherman's wife.

"May I see your hands?" he asked politely.

Ursa looked at him in furrowed brow. "Excuse me?"

"Let me see your hands" he now demanded. "Please."

Ursa sighed and showed him her hands. He took them into his own and her breath hitched slightly by how gentle he was despite his own hands being calloused. He examined them with a keen eye and his thumbs, paying particular attention to her palms.

"You do have remarkably soft hands" he said as he let go. "Which leads me to believe me you're lying."

Ursa looked at him with a frown. "How do soft hands have to do with me lying?"

"If you were a fisherman's wife, you would at least help him prepare it for either your family or to trade it with others" Hakoda stated with a voice of experience. "Using the tools and utensils to do so would cause your hands, especially your palms, to became calloused."

Ursa crossed her arms in defiance. "Perhaps I take good care of my hands."

"My wife took good care of her hands, but they still were thoroughly calloused" Hakoda said, masking the pain at the longing he had to feel Kya's touch again.

Ursa took notice of the past tense Hakoda used, but she decided not to ask about that. Doing so may anger the Chief and put her children at risk.

"The condition of my hands doesn't prove that I am lying" she defiantly said.

"Perhaps not, but you and your children certainly don't look Earth Kingdom" Hakoda said. Ursa's blood froze in her veins. She can tell that Hakoda has dealt with people from the Earth Kingdom and is familiar with their general appearance.

"Maybe the idea of being separated from your children may compel you to tell the truth" he bluffed. He truly had no intention of separating a mother from her children, but if he wanted to get the truth out of this woman, he had to resort to unsavory tactics.

"You wouldn't…" Ursa said in shock.

"I would and I have" he bluffed again. "Mothers who have proven they're unfit for their role are separated from their children. And so far, lying to a village's Chief has proven that you're unfit."

"You can't possibly do this!" Ursa said, her fist clenching. If she would be separated from Zuko and Azula, she would fight like a bear to keep them.

"You are a guest in my home and community" Hakoda sternly remined her. "Disrespecting me would not sit well for you. So you either tell me the truth, or you will be casted out alone into the seas again."

Ursa realized the Chief had her in a corner. Unlike Ozai, who was distracted with enacting his plan for the Crown, Hakoda had nothing to distract him from dealing with her, and she had no resources to work with.

She only had one option that would allow her to stay with her children.

"Okay, okay" she relented. "I'll tell you everything."

Hakoda breathed out in relief; he really did not want to act on his word.

"My name is Princess Ursa, married to the second prince of the Fire Nation, Ozai. My children's names are Zuko and Azula" Ursa began. Hakoda eyes shot open in surprise. He never would have expected _that._ "After our nephew was killed during the Siege of Ba Sing Se, his father, the Crown Prince, abandoned the siege, and I believe it was in despair."

"So that's what caused the siege to end" Hakoda said thoughtfully. "The Dragon of the West is known for his ruthlessness. I wouldn't have expected to leave a battle because he lost his son."

"His only son" Ursa said sadly. "He loved his son dearly, and more than once he told me he didn't know what he'd do if he lost him."

"War doesn't build character, it reveals it" Hakoda said. "But what does losing your nephew have to do with you leaving the Fire Nation with your children?"

"Since my brother in law had only one son, he had no heirs left" Ursa said. "My husband, Ozai, approached his father to become the new Crown Prince."

"And how did Fire Lord Azulon take that?"

"Not well" Ursa said bitterly. "To pay for his crime, Ozai must know what it felt like to lose his own son, and the Fire Lord ordered Ozai to kill my son Zuko."

Hakoda's eyes widen again and his heart burned at the thought that someone would order the death of a family member, especially a child.

"And Ozai refused this order, allowing you to flee in the chaos for disobeying" he presumed.

"I only wish" she rebutted to his surprise. "My husband was going to follow through and murder Zuko."

If Hakoda's heart burned before, it was lit ablaze now. He would _never _dare hurt Sokka regardless of the circumstances.

After a brief moment of silence, Hakoda spoke up. "Since your son is still alive, I take it you found a way to spare him."

"I did" Ursa said. "In exchange for Zuko's life, I gave Ozai a vile of poison..."

"To use on the Fire Lord, and to somehow ensure he would become the new one" Hakoda deduced.

"Yes, and to prevent another Fire Lord being assassinated, he ordered me, and me alone, to leave the Fire Nation."

Hakoda furrowed his brow, not quite understanding what she meant but it dawned on him quickly.

"He wanted your children to stay as some form of collateral."

"Exactly" Ursa said. "So… I took them, adding to my crimes. If he finds us…"

"He'll have your head. And he wouldn't be much kinder to your children" Hakoda said sympathetically.

Ursa nodded, relief washing over her at admitting the truth. But she worried as she did not know what Hakoda will do next. She suspected he would demand she leave to protect his people. If Ursa were found here, she would bring a literal fire storm upon them.

If she were in Hakoda's place, she do exactly that.

"I understand" he finally said. "As dangerous as it may be, I'll allow you and your children to stay."

Ursa looked at him in shock, not quite believing him.

"Really? You'll grant us asylum?"

"Yes" Hakoda said with a gentle smile. "Bear in mind, I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing this for your children."

Relief washed over Ursa like a wave. She reached out to take Hakoda's hand with both of hers. "Thank you" she said with tearful eyes. "Thank you. I-I don't know how to show my appreciation."

"You can show it by earning your keep here" he said with a stern look. "This won't be a free ride for you."

"I understand. I'll do whatever your people expect of me."

"Good. My igloo has just enough space to accommodate you and your children, though it will be tight. We'll work out sleeping arrangements with everyone present" he said before turning towards the door. "Let's check on your son."

But he froze as a thought occurred to him. Ursa stopped and wondered what he was thinking. He turned towards her with a quizzical look.

"One more thing…" he started, "are your children firebenders?"

Ursa's eyes widen, having forgotten that detail and wanted to avoid it. But she could not lie to the Chief again, especially since he gave her and her children a safe haven.

"Yes, they are firebenders" she confessed. "Zuko is a late bloomer, but Azula… well she's incredibly powerful. Has been bending since the day she was born."

Hakoda tensed up, remembering how firebenders killed his wife and countless others from his Tribe. His fists clenched and his jaw set. Seeing this and sensing his mood changed drastically, Ursa feared that he will change his mind and cast them away, and she braced herself for everything to come undone.

But unbeknownst to her, Hakoda could not bring himself to punish a woman and her children who are just as much a victim as his wife and children were.

And he refused to become the man she was running from.

"Well…" he finally said, "as long as they keep their powers under control, I'll do my best to make sure the issue won't get out of hand" he said as reassuring as possible. "My people won't take kindly to it, given how firebenders have hurt us greatly for decades."

Ursa gained a downcast look. "I understand, and I'm terribly sorry for what my country has done to you and your people."

"I don't blame your children for it," he said with a smile, "and I'll make sure they are not punished for the crimes of others."

Ursa smiled weakly, knowing that her children being firebenders will make the situation more complicated than it already was.

After her mother and the strange looking man left, Azula sat near her brother, who was now being treated by both the elderly woman and, Azula assumed, her granddaughter. The boy, on the other hand, stared at Azula with curious eyes, which annoyed her greatly. She stuck her tongue out at him, causing him to have a goofy expression of displeasure.

"Don't stick your tongue at me!" he whined while pointing a finger at her.

"And don't point your finger at me!" she retorted.

"Don't talk back to me! I'm the Chief's son!"

"The Chief of what?" Azula said before smirking with malice. "The Chief of being stupid?"

The boy's jaw dropped comically while his sister gasped in shock.

"Don't you dare talk about our dad like that!" she shouted.

"Oh what you going to do to make me?" Azula said smugly.

"I'll-!" Katara began as she lifted her hands, but she was interrupted.

"Enough, all of you" the elderly woman sternly said, which caused all of them to stop bickering. "Katara, put that water away. Sokka, show our guest some courtesy. And you young one," she said after turning towards Azula, "it would be best to respect your host, especially if they're treating your loved ones."

Azula pouted and crossed her arms in defiance. She really was not in the mood for dealing with these peasants.

"Your brother is doing better" the elderly woman said in an attempt to appease Azula.

"Wonderful" she replied with sarcasm.

"Sarcasm isn't always appreciated around here" the woman said.

"Yeah, that's my specialty" the boy proudly stated.

"I'm sure it is, brave son of the Chief" Azula said, coating her sarcastic remark with false praise.

"Why thank you and-" the boy began before it dawned on him that the new girl was the one being sarcastic.

"You didn't mean that, did you?" he said with a pout.

"Oh, of course I did" Azula said with obvious sarcasm now and a smirk.

The boy groaned while his sister eyed Azula with distrust. Who was she and why was she being so mean?

"Hey… leave my sister alone."

Azula eyes widen when she realized that came from Zuko. She looked at him and saw he was propping himself on his elbow, glaring at the other kids.

The elderly woman stood up and ushered her grandchildren to leave their guests alone. Azula leaned towards Zuko.

"Why are sticking up for me, Dum-Dum?" she asked skeptically.

"You're my sister. It's you and me against them" he said with a sideways smile.

Azula wanted to tell Zuko she can handle them alone, but given the circumstances, those two kids can turn into a whole village if Azula acted out too much.

It was smarter to have Zuko as an ally than no one she mused.

It was not long before Ursa and Hakoda emerged from where they had their private conversation. After inquiring about her son and being told he will be fine after a day of rest, she kneeled by his side.

"How are you feeling Zuko?" she asked, much to the dismay of Azula.

"Zuko?" she said innocently. "His name's Lee mom."

Ursa looked at her daughter with guilt. "I told Chief Hakoda who we are and what led us here Azula. No need to pretend to be someone else."

Azula looked at her mother in slight panic, thinking she was about to have her head chopped off.

"Are you crazy?!" she yelled.

Ursa moved to place her hand on Azula's shoulder to calm her down. "We're safe here Azula" she calmly said. "Chief Hakoda is allowing us to stay here." Ursa smiled, but Azula could not quite believe it.

"He's granting us asylum?" she asked to Ursa's astonishment that her daughter knew about that word and what it meant.

Ursa smiled proudly. "Yes, he's granted asylum. I'm amazed and proud you know what that word means."

Azula smile slightly, feeling… happy that her mother expressed pride in her.

Ursa turned back to Zuko. "Are you feeling better Zuko?"

"Yeah mom" he said weakly. "So we're really safe here? Dad won't find us?"

Ursa was not sure how to answer that question. She felt that it was only a matter of time before Ozai found them. She could lie and say he will not find them, but with him having the most powerful military at his command and roaming the world, there was no way this village will remain ignored forever.

"I can't lie to you two anymore" she said addressing to both of them. "We'll be safe for the time being, but I have the sick feeling that your father will find us eventually."

Zuko looked fearful, knowing his mother would face pain for what she did. Azula had mixed feelings, thinking that her father would never hurt her, but given the lengths her mother went to get away, it may just be true.

Maybe.

"If your husband comes here, we'll protect Zuko and Azula as if they were our own" a voice said proudly and determinedly.

Ursa, Zuko and Azula looked at the man who said that, who stood with a smile and a hand on each of his children's shoulders, while his mother stood next to him. The elderly woman wore a kindly smile, but the children wore scowls because of their spat with Azula.

Ursa smiled gratefully at him for willing to defend her children. "Zuko, Azula, this is Chief Hakoda, the leader of the village."

Zuko looked at the man in slight awe, being reminded of his Uncle Iroh. Azula raised an eyebrow, wondering if this man was as good as his title suggested.

"My children here are Sokka and Katara" he said, gesturing to each respectively. "And this is my mother Kanna."

"It's wonderful to meet you all" Ursa said with a bow of her head.

"Hi" Zuko said shyly. Azula remained silent, not wanting to say anything to them.

But she did have one question for her mother.

"Did you tell this Chief about what me and Zuko are?"

Ursa looked at her daughter with mild guilt. "Yes I did."

"Great" Azula pouted.

"Tell our dad what?" Sokka asked.

Hakoda got down on a knee and turned his children around.

"Sokka, Katara, please stay calm after I tell you something very important." He sighed before speaking again. "Zuko and Azula are firebenders."

Sokka and Katara both wore blank looks as they processed this information. But as soon as they did, they reacted as one would expect.

"They're firebenders?!" Katara shouted before she turned around to fight them. Ursa moved herself between her and her children, but Azula was ready to fight with her bending at last.

"We have to get rid of them!" Sokka said as he reached for his boomerang, but he was stopped as Hakoda grabbed him and Katara and carried them to his room, shutting the door behind them.

"Enough, both of you!" he shouted after setting them down. Both of his children stopped trying to escape his grasp but remained angry.

"How can you let them stay here?!" Katara shouted. "They killed mom!"

"No they didn't" Hakoda said sternly. "Other firebenders killed your mother."

"But they're evil dad!" Sokka countered. "All firebenders are evil!"

"Son you can't judge someone for what they're born with" Hakoda said. "Give them a chance to prove themselves they're good people, just like I'm doing."

"But why?" Sokka said with a snarl.

"Because if the situation was the other way around, would you want them to give you that chance?"

Both Sokka and Katara frown at this, knowing their dad had a point.

"Fine" Sokka finally said with a frown.

Hakoda breathed out in relief. He looked at Katara, who wore a deeper frown than her brother.

"Alright, I'll give them a chance dad" Katara finally said. "But if they're bad people, that Azula is mine."

Hakoda sighed, knowing that things between his children and Ursa's will be difficult. He just hoped no one would end up dead for it.

In the den, Zuko and Azula fidgeted, wondering if they will have to fight the kids in the other room. Ursa did her best to calm them down.

"I knew telling them was a bad idea" Azula said while glaring at her mother. "Why did you tell that Chief who we are?"

"If I didn't, I would have been casted back into the sea" Ursa said. Zuko looked at her in panic while Azula angerly glared at her.

"So you did it to save yourself?" she snarled.

"No, I did it to _stay _with you Azula" Ursa said carefully. "I won't let _anyone_ tear me away from you or your brother." Azula's chest ached a bit hearing her mother saying that.

"But they might hurt us now" Zuko said. As sick as he was, he would not let anyone hurt his mom and sister.

"No, Chief Hakoda game me his word that nothing will happen" Ursa said.

"And he will keep to his word" Kanna said confidently. Ursa and her children turn a look at the elder woman.

"He's not mad at us?" Zuko asked.

Kanna smiled kindly at him. "Of course not child and neither am I. I know you and your sister weren't the ones who…" Kanna froze for a moment and looked at Ursa. "He didn't mention his wife, did he?"

Ursa recalled the brief moment where Hakoda mentioned his wife. "He did talk about her in past tense but nothing specific."

Kanna sighed, understanding why her son would avoid such a personal subject. "Well you have to understand, his heart still aches painfully for what happened to his wife."

"What happened?" Zuko asked innocently.

"She was killed in a Fire Nation raid barely two weeks ago" Kanna stated.

Zuko and Azula were stunned by this, never having met people who lost loved ones by their nation's hands. Zuko felt incredibly guilty for it, but Azula had different thoughts.

"Well if she didn't fight back," she began, "she wouldn't have been killed."

Before Ursa could scold Azula for her insensitivity, Kanna spoke up first.

"She wasn't killed in battle little one. She was murdered in cold blood by a firebender" she said as sure as the sun and moon would raise every day.

Azula's eyes widen, believing her nation's benders and soldiers were the most honorable warriors in the world.

To hear otherwise…

"No that-" she denied while looking at the floor and shaking her head. "That can't be…"

Kanna slowly approached Azula and knelt before her. "And she wasn't the only one who were murdered in these raids" she said sadly.

Azula looks up and saw the pain deep in Kanna's eyes.

"No it can't be… it can't be…" Azula said as she stood numb from seeing the truth up close about her nation, both her beliefs and the truth colliding against each other.

Kanna reached out and pulled Azula into a hug. "I don't blame you little one" she whispered. Azula teared up, not sure what to believe. Ursa placed a hand on Kanna's shoulder while Zuko wore a guilty expression.

Hakoda and his children emerged from his room and saw Kanna hugging Azula. Sokka and Katara stared at them with slight scowls while Hakoda was relieved that his mother was talented at being able to show kindness to anyone.

"Well now," he said, "I take it we can get along now?"

Kanna moved away from Azula and looked at her son. "Yes, I think we've come to an understanding."

Sokka and Katara looked at Zuko and Azula, who looked downcast. The former pair approached the latter, wondering why they looked like they broke something of their mother's.

"Sorry to hear about your mom" Zuko said as sympathetically as he could, while Azula did her best to give a sympathetic look.

"Yeah well… I guess it wasn't your fault" Sokka finally said, though he still wore a scowl. Katara remained silent, still wanting to blame anyone from the Fire Nation for her mom.

"So, does that mean we can be friends?" Zuko asked with a smile.

Sokka grimaced at that. "No way" he said before he took off to his room. Katara glared at Zuko and Azula before she took off for her room.

Hakoda breathed out in relief, expecting his children to react just as bad as earlier.

"Well, that went better than I thought."

Word spread quickly throughout the village about their new visitors. Rumors abound that they were from the Earth Kingdom but did not have the appearance of that nation. Other rumors stated that they were refuges from the war, believing that coming to the Southern Water Tribe would be better than traveling to Ba Sing Se. There was even one rumor that they were adopted by the Chief and he was courting the woman, much to the irritation to some of the villagers since how recent his wife died.

Naturally Hakoda was rather embarrassed by that last one and made him want to set the record straight. He called for his Council of Chiefs to start the announcement process, along with Ursa there to explain herself.

"Thank you all for being here" Hakoda announced, with Ursa sitting by his side. They discussed what she was going to say at this meeting, but she was incredibly nervous at how the Chiefs will take it.

Several of the Chiefs eyed her with curiosity, confirming that she was definitely not of Earth Kingdom origin. Some even were convinced that she looked Fire Nation, though it was possible she came from one of the Colonies, were it was rumored that Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation people were intermixed.

"Is this our new guest Chief Hakoda?" Ogek asked.

"She is, Ogek" Hakoda confirmed. "And I invited her here to explain herself properly." He nodded to Ursa to inform her to begin.

Ursa took a deep breath before she started her explanation. "Greetings to all of you, I appreciate your hospitality to my children and I." She paused for a moment and looked at Chief Hakoda for support. He gave her a reassuring smile and nod.

"My name is Ursa," she continued, "wife of Prince Ozai of the Fire Nation."

One can hear a pin drop in the room, as the Council members stared at her in shock. Soon some gained expressions of anger.

"A Fire Nation woman is here?" Rara, one of the younger Chiefs said in disdain.

"We should get rid of her" Sodda, another young Chief, said bitterly.

"No" Hakoda sternly commanded. "Let her explain herself."

"Why should we Chief?" Rara asked. "She could be some type of spy or even a saboteur."

"Do you really believe that the Fire Nation would send a mother and her children here for such purposes?" Ogek suggested with a raised eyebrow.

"It's a rather good cover" Yoraw said, a more experienced man. "But it seems rather foolhardy to me."

"Agreed" Shikok said while several other men nodded in agreement.

"Please continue young lady" Ogek said. "What brought you to our village?"

Ursa sighed in relief that she would have a chance to properly tell her story. She went over how her nephew's death caused a chain of events that led her and her children here. All of the men in the tent, particularly those who were fathers themselves, became appalled that a grandfather would order the death of his grandson, and the father of said son would willingly go along with it. They were also equally sickened by the fact that a son would murder his own father for power.

When Ursa explained that her children were firebenders, most of the men became apprehensive by that, while a few were scornful about it.

"That is what led me and my children here" Ursa finished. "I deeply appreciate your Chief for granting us asylum."

The tent fell silent again as the Chiefs processed this information. They all deeply sympathized with Ursa, but they were unsure if three Fire Nation Royals should be allowed to stay in their village.

"Well young lady," Ogek said, "you and your children have been through quite an adventure."

"Especially since you're running from a man who only values himself" Hakkar said.

"But is it still wise for her and her children to be here?" Rara asked. "If what she said is true, then this Ozai is the new Fire Lord and he's going to use his military to search for them."

"Which can bring ruin to our us" Yoraw stated.

"The world is a vast place" Ogek said, "and the Fire Nation is focused solely on the Earth Kingdom. The Fire Lord cannot have his entire military directed at finding Ursa." He closed his eyes as he imagined what he would do in the Fire Lord's position.

"What are you thinking about Ogek?" Hakoda asked the wisest man on the Council.

"The Fire Lord will dispatch only a small force to search for Ursa and her children" he said. "They would likely begin their search in the Earth Kingdom, for it would be the more suitable place for Fire Nation fugitives to run to."

"Because it would be easier for them to blend in" Yoraw said as he caught on.

"Especially the Colonies" Hakkar added.

"And we cannot in good conscious force Ursa and her children to leave" Ogek said. "They are safer here than anywhere else. I say let them stay."

"Agreed" Yoraw said. "Sending those children out onto the seas would put them in grave danger, an action that would make us no better than their father."

All the Chiefs who were fathers shuddered at that idea. The Water Tribe was a community who place their children as its highest importance.

Relief washed over Ursa when she heard that a few of the Chiefs were willing to let her and her children stay. She glanced at Hakoda as he smiled at here, causing her to return it without much thought.

"So, are we in agreement to allow Ursa and her children to be in our village?" he asked.

Out of the dozen Chiefs, only Rara and Sodda chose not to raise their hands, believing it was more dangerous to allow the Fire Nation Royals to stay. But they would respect the decision that was made.

"Very well than" Hakoda said. "Ursa and her children will be allowed to stay. Thank you all for being here."

"Yes" Ursa said gratefully. "Thank you."

The Chiefs filed out of the tent to go and inform their families and friends that Chief Hakoda had an important announcement to make to the entire village. Ursa stayed with Hakoda, wanting a private word with him before heading back to his igloo.

"Hakoda?" she said tentatively. "I have no idea how to repay you for this."

"There's no need to thank me" he said with a bashful smile. "Any sensible man would have done the same."

"Still…" she said nervously, before leaning in and pecking his cheek softly with her lips. "Thank you." She quickly left to avoid embarrassing herself more so, for her heart skipped a beat as she kissed him.

But she was not the only one who's heart skipped a beat.

* * *

He strode confidently through the Palace, pleased to hear that he and his men were summoned by the most powerful man in the world. No one knew how Ozai gained the throne, but if the second born son was crowned than the disgraced Dragon of the West, he was truly more powerful and deserving of the Fire Lord's crown.

Colonel Mongke and his men marched into the Throne Room and knelt before Fire Lord Ozai as he sat behind his curtain of fire.

"Colonel Mongke" he said with authority. "I have a vital mission for you and your men."

"The Rough Rhinos are honored to be called upon by you Milord."

"Good" Ozai said, carefully weighing his words as to not released too much information to what led to Ursa's banishment.

"My wife had committed crimes against the Crown and has escaped with my heirs. Your mission is to bring them back."

"I presume you wish for your heirs to be brought back alive" Mongke said. "But what of your wife? Would it matter if she doesn't survive our encounter?"

Ozai considered allowing Mongke and his men to have the freedom to allow Ursa's death, but a more sinister thought came to mind.

"No" he said grimly. "You are to bring her back alive too. She must pay for her crimes by my hands personally."

Mongke smirked at his liege's ruthlessness. How he wished he and his men could watch that. Or better yet join in.

"It will be done Milord."

"You may wish to start at the docks" Ozai said. "There is a fishing captain there by the name of Quan. He knew my wife from before she came to the Palace. She thought that I did not know of him. He may have been an accomplice to her escape with my heirs."

"We shall locate him and use whatever means to question him" Mongke said with a malicious smirk.

"Very well than" Ozai said with a malicious smirk of his own. "You are dismissed Colonel."

* * *

The months that followed were uneasy, but things smoothed out over time. Ursa worked hard to earn her place in the village. She diligently learned from Kanna how to sow clothes, make fishnets and even gut, skin and cook animals and fish. Despite her unease and queasiness, Ursa became kept adept at the tasks, though her hands pained her as they blistered and calloused; they even bled at times, causing Zuko to enter a bit of a frenzy over it. Kanna and Hakoda were always quick to reassure him that it was natural, and his mother will be fine.

To keep her children busy and out of trouble, Ursa gifted her children the firebending scrolls and books she stole from the Palace. Hakoda was hesitant to allow Zuko and Azula to learn firebending, but he would allow it as long as they did it outside the village under supervision.

Ursa watched closely as her children practice their bending. Azula was quick to pick up on each form, having mastered several of them before leaving the Palace. But Zuko still struggled to master the basics, often to his disappointment. Ursa continued to encourage him, saying he was someone who kept trying despite the hardship, and it would be only a matter of time before he caught up to Azula.

Azula would often scoff at Zuko's attempt to master the basics, often reprimanding him when he did not do it right. Zuko would get frustrated and shout back at Azula. It did not take long for Ursa to have enough and try to find a resolution to their fighting.

"That's quite enough you two" she demanded, silencing their latest argument. "Zuko, your sister is only trying to help you get better with your gift."

"It doesn't feel like it" he said bitterly.

"That's because you're way too sensitive" Azula retorted while rolling her eyes.

"I'll show you sensitive!" he said before raising his fists. Azula looked at him with challenging eyes and her arms crossed but she was still ready to dodge his sloppy attacks.

"Stop it Zuko!" Ursa demanded and he complied. "Azula may be a bit critical, but that's because she's quite proud of you being a firebender Zuko."

Zuko looked at his mother in shock, while Azula looked dumfounded. She never really felt proud of Zuko, but if she wanted him on her side when the time came, she needed to at least fake that feeling.

"She is?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess I am Zuzu" Azula said while keeping her arms crossed and looking away.

Zuko looked at her dumbfounded that his sister actually cared about him. Sure she was rather harsh, but maybe it is because she cared so much.

"Well, I guess I should listen to you more" he finally said to Ursa's relief. She expected him to remained unconvinced that Azula does care for her brother.

"Alright" Azula said. "Do exactly what I say, and you'll be half decent as I am" she finished with a smirk before running off.

"Yeah right!" he challenged before running after his sister. Ursa smiled, glad that her children were starting to get along.

Over time, Zuko started to improve but he still lagged behind Azula. He listen closely to Azula because she grasped the concepts the scrolls and books offered faster than he could.

"Ugh, I'll never be as good as you" he said in defeat.

"Just keep doing it, Zuzu, or else I'll be really disappointed" she teased.

Zuko growled at her challenge before taking up his stance and shot fire from his arm. Azula scoffed at his form and took up the same stance next to him.

"No, Dum-Dum, like this" she said frustrated before she shot fire from her arm. But it was not her normal bright orange fire like before.

It was a mixed with purple.

Both Azula and Zuko stared at the air in shock, not understanding what just happened.

"How did you…?" he asked.

"I'm not sure" Azula said before shooting out another burst of the purple and orange flame, which felt warmer than just her orange flame. She smiled brightly before going through every firebending stance, shooting out more and more of the purple and orange flames.

Zuko watched downcast, knowing his sister once again surpassed him beyond his level.

Both the firebenders returned to their new home, Azula practically skipping while Zuko dragged his feet through the snow. During dinner that night, Azula was quick to grab her mother's attention.

"Look mom!" she said. "Look at the new fire I can make!"

"Hey!" Sokka exclaimed. "No firebending allowed!"

Azula ignored him and bent a small fire in the palm of her hands, the base of which was a deep purple. Ursa's eyes widen at this display of fire.

"I- I've never seen this kind of fire before" she said before smiling. "That's truly amazing Azula!"

"Yeah it really is" Hakoda said with a nervous smile, hoping Azula can keep control of it, yet he was still amazed by it. Kanna stared in shock, never seeing anything like it before in the raids she experienced. But she decided to smile, believing that Azula will learn to use it for good. Sokka and Katara frowned at Azula, thinking she was too dangerous for her own good.

But Zuko scowled at his sister, thinking she was now taking her mother's favor just like she took his father's.

He stood up brusquely from the table and stomped to the room he shared with his mother and sister.

Everyone started at the closed curtains after Zuko went through them. Ursa sighed, thinking she should talk to him and reassure he still had more potential than he believed.

"I should go talk to him" she said.

"Actually," Hakoda said while standing up, "I'll go talk to him. I think I know what's going through his mind right now." Ursa remained in place and wondered what Hakoda meant by that.

Hakoda entered the room and spotted Zuko laying on his sleeping bag, facing the wall and curled into a ball. Hakoda sat next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think I know what you're going though" he said.

"No one knows what I'm going through" Zuko countered, trying not to sound like he was going to cry.

"Well maybe I don't, but Sokka might."

Zuko's eyes widen in shock at that. "How would he know?"

"Well when we found out Katara is a waterbender, he naturally thought he was one too" Hakoda explained.

Zuko turned his head to look at Hakoda. "Katara's a waterbender?"

Hakoda hummed in acknowledgement. "Yep, she sure is and a very talented one too."

Zuko grimaced a little, thinking now he had to deal with _two _crazy girls who were also benders.

"Sokka tried and tried to waterbend, but soon it became apparent that he wasn't one" Hakoda said sadly. "So in turn he felt that his sister would outshine him and be ignored by everyone."

Zuko felt relieved he was not the only one who felt like he had to compete with his sister to gain attention.

But that did not mean he was the one only one being favored over his sister.

"Do you like Katara more than Sokka?" Zuko asked.

Hakoda looked at Zuko. "No of course not. I believe a parent should never love one of their children over the other. Your mother understands that."

Zuko looked at Hakoda and saw that he meant what he said. It perked Zuko up at that, but he still felt inadequate.

"Tell you what," Hakoda said, "how about I take you fishing with me tomorrow?"

"But I don't know how to fish" Zuko said.

Hakoda laughed at that. "All the more reason to go. I'll teach how it's done."

"Why would teach me how to fish?"

Hakoda smiled at Zuko. "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man how fish and he'll eat for a lifetime."

Zuko smiled at the title Hakoda used to describe him. "I'm a man?"

"Not yet" Hakoda said. "But I'll make one out of you."

Zuko smiled at that, glad to hear that someone from this village was willing to spend time with him. And he was gladder it was Chief Hakoda.

They soon returned to the dinner table, where Ursa was glad Zuko appeared to be in greater spirits than when he stormed off.

"How are you feeling dear?" she asked.

"Great!" he said to her surprise. "Chief Hakoda said he's taking me fishing tomorrow."

Ursa looked at Hakoda, who flashed a smile at her. She smiled in return, glad that a new and better man was willing to be a father figure for her son.

"Dad you were supposed to take me fishing tomorrow!" Sokka complied.

"Well," Hakoda said before digging into a dish, "I guess I'll take both of you."

"I don't wanna go fishing with him" Sokka said with a pout.

"Well you don't have much of a choice son" Hakoda said after chewing the seaweed salad he was eating. "It's either I take both of you or neither of you."

"C'mon Sokka, it'll be fun!" Zuko exclaimed, but he recoiled when Sokka gave him a mean look.

"Fine" Sokka said before shoving part of his tiger-seal into his mouth. "But you better not scare the fish away!"

"Don't talk with food in your mouth young man" Kanna reprimanded.

"And don't chew with your mouth open" Katara added in a way that sounded like her mother.

"Or better yet, don't eat at all" Azula teased.

Katara shot her a look. "Don't talk to my brother like that you firebender" she growled.

"Oh?" Azula asked. "What are you going to do? Waterbend at me?"

Katara stared in shock. "How did you-?"

"I've seen you waterbending for months now, though you can use more practice."

"What do you know about waterbending? You're a firebender!"

"I know poor bending when I see it" Azula said before gesturing to Zuko. "Just ask Dum-Dum over there."

Zuko pouted at his sister while Sokka snickered. Katara even felt tempted to giggle at Azula's nickname for her brother but did not what to give Azula the satisfaction.

Hakoda sighed and shared a look with Ursa, both of them silently agreeing that they had their work cut out for them when it comes to having their children get along, and they were off to a slow start.

But it was a start, nonetheless.

True to his word, Hakoda took Sokka and Zuko fishing area a fair distance from the village, though Zuko was rather tired because he had trouble sleeping because of how excited he was; it did not help that he had been woken up early due to the need for as many hours as possible to fish.

They reached a spot Hakoda found satisfactory and began explaining to the boys how to break the ice and form a hole for their fishing rods.

"Couldn't I use my bending to melt the ice?" Zuko asked.

"You could," Hakoda said thoughtfully, "but I think that may be dangerous; you could weaken the ice around your fishing hole, the area where you would sit."

"Yeah, wouldn't want you to fall in" Sokka said with mild sarcasm. Part of him would not mind if Zuko fell into the cold water.

Zuko gulped nervously, knowing that if he was cold now, he will _really _be cold if he fell into the water.

Soon Hakoda was explaining to both boys how to bait their hooks and properly hold their rods for to quickly pull the fish out.

But after an hour, Sokka grew impatient.

"Ugh!" he spat. "This is taking forever!"

"Easy son," Hakoda advised, "catching a fish is a waiting game."

"But waiting is boring!" Sokka complained. "Can't we use spears?"

"We'll have to set out by boat to do that." Hakoda said. "Even then it's still a waiting game."

"How is it still a waiting game?" Sokka pouted.

"Because you have to wait for the fish to come close to the surface to spear them. From my experience that wait takes much longer than using a rod."

Sokka groaned and focused again on the ice hole, hoping that a fish would soon bite onto his hook.

To his dismay, it was Zuko who got the first bite.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "I think I got something!" He began to pull on the rod, trying to get the fish out of the water.

Hakoda jumped to his feet and stood just to the side of Zuko, ready to help the boy.

"You need to grab the line itself Zuko" he said with a smile. "Or the fish will find a way off the hook!"

"Oh, okay!" Zuko said before grabbing the line and pulling it to the surface. After fighting for a minute or so, a fairly large fish emerged from the surfaced. It flopped on the ice at Zuko's feet, but he was quick to try to grasp its body. He struggled to hold on to it with it being slippery.

"You need to grab onto its lip" Hakoda said before doing just so. While the fish struggled to break free, Hakoda had full control over it. Zuko reached out and took it by the lip and held it triumphantly with a proud smile.

"Congrats Zuko, you've caught your first fish" Hakoda said with a proud smile. Zuko was gleeful at his remark, but Sokka pouted, wishing it were his fish.

But soon enough, Sokka felt a nibble on his rod and he began to pull it up. He struggled more than Zuko to pull it up, the rod often coming close to being taken under, but Sokka believed it was a far bigger fish than Zuko's.

Hakoda had different thoughts about what it was. "Sokka, cut the line" he sternly ordered.

"No way dad!" Sokka said in defiance. "I'm not letting this fish get away!"

"Sokka, it's not a-!" Hakoda said, too late to his chagrin.

Soon a tiger seal burst from the ice, causing Sokka to fly back a short distance. After recovering his senses, Sokka's eyes widen in fear as the tiger seal began snarling at him. Hakoda quickly grabbed his spear but he feared he might be too late…

A burst of orange fire struck the tiger seal on the head, causing it to change its attention to the new attacker. Zuko stood there strongly, but he never felt more afraid in his life. He shot more fire at the animal, causing it to howl in pain but it remained determined.

A powerfully thrown spear imbedded itself deep into the tiger seal's neck, causing to howl in more pain. Hakoda ran up and pulled the spear out and thrust it back into the tiger seal's neck, spilling blood over the pristine snow. The tiger seal's tail swung around and tripped Hakoda. The tiger seal attempted to bite down on Hakoda's leg, but a boomerang struck the tiger seal in one of its eyes, blinding it and it fell to the ground. Hakoda took opportunity of its shock and jump up to his feet, whale tail knife in hand. He straddled the animal and with a roar, stabbed the tiger seal several times in its head, killing it.

After seeing the tiger seal was finally dead, both Sokka and Zuko fell to their knees in shock, not quite believing the ordeal they just experienced.

Hakoda stood up and gathered his weapons, breathing deeply. Sokka feared his dad was incredibly angry with him.

"Sorry dad" he said weakly.

Hakoda looked at son and approached him. He placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "It's okay son. You were eager to catch a fish, but it led to poor judgement. It's good to be eager, but you must always exercise caution; today could have ended in tragedy."

Sokka gulped, knowing his actions could have killed him, his dad or even Zuko.

Hakoda looked at Zuko, who was on his knees breathing deeply. Hakoda smiled at him. "We were incredibly lucky to have a firebender with us. If you hadn't struck that tiger seal Zuko, Sokka wouldn't be with us right now. Thank you."

Zuko looked at Hakoda with wide eyes, realizing he never thought Hakoda would thank a firebender given what happened to his wife. Sokka too was grateful for Zuko despite himself.

"Yeah, thanks Zuko" he finally said.

"Sure" Zuko said. "You did good too."

"Sure I did" Sokka said downcast.

"He's right son" Hakoda said. "If you hadn't struck the seal with your boomerang, I would've lost my leg. You did good too."

Sokka cheered up a little at that, but he still felt guilty for what he did. He looked at the dead tiger seal.

"What are we going to do with that?" he asked.

"Well…" Hakoda said, "it's been a while since we've had tiger seal."

Sokka smiled at that. "Gran-Gran does make good tiger seal jerky!"

"But how do we get it back to the village?" Zuko asked.

He had his answer soon enough, as he struggled with Hakoda and Sokka dragging the tiger seal to the village. When they came into view, Bato spotted them and he and a few other men ran out to them to take over. They dragged the tiger seal into the village, and everyone marveled at how one man and two eleven year old boys took down a tiger seal. Ursa though was fearful to how it happened.

"Well I landed the killing blow" Hakoda said as he finished his story. "But Sokka and especially Zuko landed some good blows on it as well."

"This tiger seal looks like it was burned" Bato said as he examined the tiger seal closely. "Hakoda how did-?"

"It was Zuko, he firebent at it, saving Sokka's life."

The villagers stared at Zuko in astonishment, never thinking that a firebender would risk his life to save one of their own, much less their Chief. Bato began clapping, and he was joined by the rest of the village. Zuko felt uneasy by the attention, thinking he only did what anyone would have do in his position.

Ursa reached her son and hugged him. "I'm so proud of you Zuko."

Zuko smiled and returned the hug, knowing his mom was still proud of him and loved him dearly.

After they were done, Ursa reached over and hugged Sokka, who was shocked as to why she would do that.

"I'm so glad you're safe too Sokka" she said. Sokka smiled and returned the hug awkwardly.

Kanna, Katara and Azula stood nearby and watched the heartfelt scene. Kanna smiled at the scene, knowing that her grandson and Zuko may just bond over this exciting event. Azula was impressed that Zuko managed to hold his own against a tiger seal with his fire, meaning that her lessons were taking hold; he just needed the proper motivation.

But Katara though, she felt resentful as she watched Ursa hug her brother. It seemed to her that Ursa was trying to replace her own mother.

And seeing how her father was looking at Ursa now, it certainly felt that way.

For the next several days, Katara would often glare at Ursa with resentment. Ursa first believed it was just the dark season taking its toll, but she started to think it was something else entirely when Ursa offered to help Katara with some chores around the igloo.

"I can take care of it myself!" Katara snapped. "We don't need you here!"

Ursa was taken aback by Katara. She suspected that Katara never really liked her, but now it seemed she outright hated her.

"Katara, is something wrong?" she gently asked.

Katara glared at her with anger. "Yes something is wrong! Why are you living here?! Why are you trying to replace my mom?!" she fished with tears in the corner of her eyes.

Ursa stared at her aghast. While it was uncustomary for a man and woman to live together when they are not married, and work together to take care of children, Hakoda thought it was the best course of action, believing that Ursa and her children would benefit most from this arrangement.

Ursa felt foolish that she did not think of how well Hakoda's children would take to it.

"Katara…" she gently began, "from what I've heard about your mother, she was truly a wonderful woman. There's no way I could compete with her here and I wouldn't dare try to replace her to you or your father and brother."

"But why are you still here?" Katara asked while tears started to run.

That made Ursa's heart ache. "Well maybe it's because your father needs my help. Being a father and the Chief certainly is a daunting challenge."

"But we have Gran-Gran to help him."

"That's true and she does an amazing job" Ursa said. She bite her lip, wondering if she should say what else she thought of their situation. "But she has trouble keeping up with you and Sokka, never mind Zuko and Azula."

"Yeah" Katara said softly. "Gran-Gran does get tired a lot…"

"So… maybe it's because your father needs me; I know I need him" Ursa said. "And well, Zuko and Azula need him more than I do. Their father is not a kind man…"

"Because he's the Fire Lord?"

"That might have something to do with it, yes. So maybe your father doesn't have me here as a replacement, but rather…" Ursa said, wondering what word to use next, "as an addition. You can still think fondly of your mother Kya, but you and I, we can just be friends."

"Friends…" Katara said. She did had friends of course, but after her mother died and Katara started to focus on helping her dad around the house, she rarely if ever spent time around the other girls in the village.

So maybe having a friend who's around her a lot would not hurt.

"Yeah… we can be friends" she finally said.

Ursa smiled and held her hand out for Katara to shake, forming their pack of friendship.

She walked out of the village to her usual spot to practice her bending. Azula was not overly fond of practicing in an environment that seemed to weaken her, but she reasoned that will only make her stronger in the long run.

Besides, bending was a great distraction for her.

She remembered what Kanna told her when she first arrived. Azula felt conflicted about what she heard about her father, her people and her nation. All her life, Azula saw her father be especially harsh on Zuko while she received praise, yet her father only took an interest in her bending and education. He never took the time to just spend it with her or show her any affection, like her mother did. Sure Azula did not get along well with her back at the Palace, but at least her mother would spend time with her because she genuinely _wanted _to. From what she knew about her family's history and the fact that females are less likely to be firebenders, it made sense that her father had an initial negative response to her birth. Given how she was an exceptional firebender only spared her so that her father can use her to his own ends…

But it still hurt that her father only sees her as a potential weapon.

And to hear that firebenders where murderers was just too much to bear. She even heard from other villagers how the firebenders that attacked the villages were monsters.

Oh how she had grown to hate that word…

She cried out in rage as she continued to practice her bending, slowly turning it into purple with traces of blue.

Hakoda was doing his customary walks around the outside snow mounds that encircled the village, seeing how significant the damage to them were after a major storm. In the corner of his eye, he spotted several plums of purple fire shooting through the air. Hakoda knew immediately who the maker was of those amazing flames and made his way to her.

Azula breathed deeply after finishing the last step in a firebending sequence. She was incredibly pleased with herself that her fire was slowly but surely getting hotter with each passing day she practiced.

"Be careful, or you'll melt the ice" she heard Hakoda teased. She turned toward him and scowled a bit.

"Are you going to tell me to stop firebending?" she asked. "So I don't melt your ice?"

"No I just came over to say it's truly amazing" he said with a smile.

"Right" she said as she looked away with crossed arms.

A moment of silence passed before Hakoda spoke up. "You know, you don't have to spend so much time alone. It's really not good for the mind."

"Why do I want to spend time with any of you? Everyone hates me."

"That's not true" Hakoda said. "There's people that'll love to spend time with you if you give them a chance."

"Yeah? Like who?"

"Well… I'd like to" he said with a smile. "And maybe Katara too."

Azula looked at him in disbelief. "Sure you two would. You have me cook dinner or something?"

Hakoda realized that Azula is unwilling to do household chores in contrast to Katara, perhaps a byproduct of her time as a Royal. But that was not what Hakoda had in mind.

"Well you and Katara are both benders…"

"Of the opposite elements" Azula said with a scowl.

"But you two are still incredibly gifted benders. That's something only you two can understand better than anyone else."

Azula pouted at that. She thought of how much Katara tried to perfect her bending and how Azula felt embarrassed to see Katara struggle with it, just as Zuko does.

Why she did was beyond her understanding.

"Actually" Hakoda said as he withdrew his boomerang from its sheath, "I could teach you how to throw one of these."

Azula looked at the weapon with curiosity. She has seen Sokka use his quite a bit, and just like she enjoyed teasing her brother by being better at him with stuff he enjoys, Azula would love to do the same to Sokka.

And it seemed to her that Hakoda was giving her that chance, whether he knew it or not.

"Okay" she said with an eager smirk, "let me see how it's done."

Hakoda smiled as he began explaining what the boomerang could be used for, and to Azula's surprise, it could be used for more than just throwing at a target. He then went onto showing her how to properly toss it to get the arc right for its return flight. When it was her turn to try, Hakoda was amazed at how quickly she picked up on it.

"Wow" he said as she caught it for the fourth time in a row. "That's the fastest I've seen _anyone _learn how to toss a boomerang."

"Faster than Sokka?" she asked with a smirk.

"Much faster than him, yeah" Hakoda said with a smile. "You're incredibly sharp for a young child. I think you'll do great things in this world."

"Oh I know" she proudly stated. Hakoda chuckled as he and Azula walked back to the village, Azula tossing the boomerang with such perfection that it amazed some of the people.

Though one young boy was not pleased by that.

"Dad, why is she tossing your boomerang around?" Sokka asked.

"Well, it's actually hers now" Hakoda said.

Azula perked up at that. "Really?!" Hakoda nodded at her in response.

"But that's-!" Sokka said while Azula smirked at him. "Well you'll never be as good as me!" he said while pointing at Azula.

"Well according to your dad, _I _mastered it faster than you did" she said smugly before tossing her boomerang with precision and caught it with grace.

Sokka growled at her. "I'll show you who's a boomerang master!" he said before taking his boomerang out and tried to toss it better than her. His clumsy effort caused Azula to laugh.

Hakoda sighed but smiled, wondering just what the heck he was thinking when he tried to connect with Azula. But he was happy that she found something other than her firebending to enjoy.

The next several months leading up to the first year after the former Royal's arrival were relatively smooth. The village accepted Ursa and her children as their own, given Ursa's hard work and Zuko's heroic act. Zuko would work with Azula from time to time to perfect his firebending, but he started to spend more time with Sokka, the latter seemingly to have forgotten his animosity towards the former. They learned from Hakoda about many warrior and survival tasks, which both embraced with eagerness. They often tried to sneak into the Chief's tent and the various weapons tents around the village. They were caught from time to time, being reprimanded by Hakoda for it, but Sokka's stubbornness led them to only become more skilled at it.

Azula still remained rather distant though, preferring to focus on her studies and practice of firebending and her new boomerang. She was working towards making her flames hotter and burn brighter, eager to see the spectacle for her hard work, and she also wanted to see if she could use her boomerang to enhance her bending. When she heard that Sokka and Zuko were being sneaky, Azula naturally wanted to outdo them and snuck into the same places they did, only she was not caught once, thanks to what she practiced in the Fire Nation Royal Palace. She spent most of the time alone, for many of the village children were intimidated by Azula, who was a bit mean to them to see if they really wanted to be around her or just been told to befriend her by Hakoda and the other parents.

Though one girl was not intimidated by her.

With Ursa taking on more and more of the house chores, Katara would have more free time, and given how she did not trust Azula for her attitude towards everyone, the waterbender started to practice her skills with what little she learned from what Kanna remembered about waterbenders long pasted.

Katara reasoned this was not enough and began inventing her own moves to a mild success but she felt it still was not enough.

"You'll need more than desperate creativity to become a master" she heard a voice say.

Katara scowled at that voice, both for the comment and who the owner was. She turned around and saw Azula standing there, with her arms crossed and a judgement look.

"What? Do you think you can teach me waterbending?" Katara growled.

"I'm a firebender, what do I have to teach you?" Azula said simply.

"Nothing" Katara said bitterly while a dangerous thought came to mind. "But you are a challenge!"

Katara bent some snow towards Azula, who sidestepped with practiced agility and a smirk on her face; she waited a long time for Katara to get fed up with her and do something about it. Katara scowled at her failed strikes and sent more snow at Azula, who again used her aerobatics to dodge each attack. After some time, Katara ran out of breath and stopped bending, much to Azula's disappointment.

"Not bad, you've got a lot of fight in you" she said.

"Oh was that a compliment, Mrs. Sarcastic?" Katara said with irritation.

Azula raised an eyebrow at that, remembering Katara would call Sokka 'Mr. Sarcastic' at times with disapproval. She briefly wondered if that was some kind of insult to her, for Sokka was a moron. But she set that thought aside.

"Look," she began, "I've been watching you waterbend…"

"What? You've been stalking me or something?"

"I have to keep up with my sneaking skills" Azula said, knowing better than to admit to sneaking into place she was not meant to be.

"Whatever" Katara said.

"But still," Azula continued, "I can teach you proper stances and breathing techniques. I'm sure that will help you."

Katara ponder this for a moment. She can admit that will certainly help, but she could not stand that it would come from the one person she did not like in the whole village.

"Think of it this way" Azula said, "the more I help you, the better you get at annoying your brother."

Katara perked up at that, always liking the look on Sokka's face when she dosed him with water or use her bending to toss snowballs at him from where he cannot reach her.

"Why do you want to help me?"

"Me, you and Dum-Dum are the only benders in the village" Azula said. "It's embarrassing for me to see you or him struggle. Also imagine the irritated looks on our idiot brothers when we work together to annoy them" she finished with a malicious smirk.

Katara actually laughed at that, realizing it came out before she knew it.

But she still was not sure if she could trust Azula.

"I don't know" Katara said. "It's hard for me to imagine working with a firebender."

"Because of what happened to your mom?" Azula asked carefully. She can tell she was getting through to Katara, but any wrong moves could spell doom.

"Yeah" Katara said bitterly.

Azula thought about this for a moment, remembering that Fire Navy fleets and units take great pride in their identities, and she had a suspicion to who it was. If Katara can remember any identifiable signs about the fleet that raided their village it would confirm her suspicions.

"Do you remember anything about the ships?"

"Well they were big and black…"

"I know that" Azula said, trying to cover up her irritation. "But what about any flags?"

"They had flags on their ships, but I don't remember what they had on them."

Azula breathed deeply, disappointed that Katara could not remember in detail. But Azula tried to be sympathetic and patient.

"Although" Katara continued, "there is a Fire Nation ship that was frozen near the coast not far from here."

Azula looked at Katara in anticipation. "Take me to it."

Katara eyes widen. "We're not supposed to go near it!"

"Look if you want to know who killed your mom, and make them pay for it, we have to see that ship" Azula urged.

Katara pondered this for a moment, but she knew Azula was right. Katara did _want _revenge.

"Okay let's go" she said before leading Azula to the derelict ship.

True to Katara's word, the ship was abandoned and frozen near the coast. It was an older design, possible from the first half of the war, but Azula paid close attention to the torn up flags hanging off the ship.

"It looks like sea ravens on those flags…" she said thoughtfully.

"What does that mean?" Katara asked.

"It's the symbol of the Southern Raiders, an elite unit of the Fire Navy. They were organized to raid the Southern Water Tribe to…" Azula said before going too far.

"To what?" Katara demanded.

"To capture or kill waterbenders" Azula finally admitted.

Katara scowled fiercely at Azula, who stood her ground.

"Listen, I don't like it any more than you do" Azula said.

"Really?" Katara spat back. "They're your people!"

"And you're my people too!" Azula shouted back without even realizing it.

Katara stared at her dumbfounded, never thinking that Azula would say that.

"Alright," Azula began, "when I got here, I was angry and believed that my country was superior. But after hearing that firebenders cut down defenseless people in cold blood, I started to feel differently. And from the way my father treated me compared to Hakoda, I think that maybe my country isn't as great as I thought."

Katara looked at Azula in surprise, not really expecting her to admit that the Fire Nation could not better than anyone else. "How did your dad treat you?" Katara asked.

"He only was interested in my ability to bend" Azula said bitterly. "He never spent time with me because he wanted to, unlike your dad."

"Yeah" Katara said in defeat, "he's grown to like you and Zuko"

"So, I guess that's why I think of your people as mine."

The two girls remained silent for a moment, unsure what to say next. Wanting to change to subject, Azula spoke first.

"So now that we know who killed your mom, we can start working towards finding them and making them pay. But first we need to master our respected elements. We're not powerful enough yet" she said with determination.

"Alright" Katara said with a smirk. "You got a deal." She held out her hand in a peaceful gesture.

Azula took her hand and smirked back, forming their own alliance.

Ursa and Hakoda were surprised at how Azula and Katara were getting along out of nowhere, the former helping the latter with her bending stances and breathing. But it became apparent the real reason why is when the two of them teamed up against Sokka and Zuko, annoying them beyond belief for the next several months. The brothers would try desperately to get back at their sisters, but their plans always backfired on them, much to the amusement to their sisters. Zuko would particularly get frustrated by it but Sokka was quick to cheer him up and move onto something else. For the pranks they would fall into by their sisters' hands, Azula would do most of the planning but Katara would often rein her in if her plans would potentially go too far. Azula would scoff at that but she usually relented when Katara would point out that going too far would get them in more trouble than its worth.

"It's amazing at how they've managed to set aside their differences to get along" Hakoda said thoughtfully.

"Children are not ones to hold onto grudges" Kanna wisely said. "They're so full of life and joy that they're quick to forget their sorrows."

"Yes" Ursa said sentimentally. "Children are truly a blessing."

Kanna smiled in agreement and headed into the igloo to take her afternoon nap. Hakoda and Ursa watched fondly as their children chased each other back and forth with snowballs. Hakoda and Ursa both made an _extremely _strict rule that no bending be used whatsoever when they played, much to the dismay to the benders, but they quickly took advantage of using the abundant of snow to gang up on Sokka for a little payback. The children had a strange habit of switching who was working with whom. Sometimes it was Water Tribe versus Fire Nation, other times it was the boys against the girls and on a few occasions, the three benders against the one non-bender. Whenever that happened, Sokka desperately tried to recruit some of the younger boys in the village to help him, but to his dismay, they refused to go against the benders. Right now though it seemed to be a free for all, because Katara just threw a snowball at Azula, who dodged it only for the snowball to hit Sokka right on his forehead as he was hit in the back of the head because of Zuko.

"Oh c'mon!" Sokka shouted before tossing as many snowballs at each of the benders as fast as he could. The three of them laughed at his comical throws.

Hakoda and Ursa headed inside together, both feeling grateful that things turned out better than they could have expected. Ursa turned and looked at Hakoda with fond eyes.

"I can't express enough gratitude for opening your home to my children and I" she said shyly.

"It's no big deal" Hakoda said. "I'm sure you've done the same if the positions were reversed."

"But it is a big deal" Ursa said as she stepped closer. "We were supposed to be enemies, but instead…"

"We've become a family" Hakoda said with a fond smile.

"Yes" Ursa whispered as she leaned closer. "We have."

Hakoda leaned in, instinct taking over.

But then he hesitated, feeling like a traitor of sorts.

Ursa was confused by this, knowing what he wanted. But she quickly understood why he was holding back.

"I'm not your wife Hakoda" she reassured.

"I-I know that" he said shyly.

"And you're not betraying her for this. I don't expect you to stop loving her" Ursa said gently. "But I think she'd want you to be happy."

"She would…" Hakoda said.

"And you don't have to do this. I'll respect whatever you decide Hakoda."

He looked at her, seeing the genuineness in her eyes, but also longing for something she had not felt for a long time.

"Thank you Ursa" he said as he place his hands on her shoulders. Ursa's breath hitched. "For coming into my life" he finished before leaning to kiss her gently.

Ursa kissed him back, feeling that she and her children truly found her home.

* * *

It took Colonel Mongke far longer than he expected to find the captain that smuggled Ursa and her children out of the Fire Nation. But even the most elusive rat can be found and caught.

He was found in a village far to the west of the Fire Nation, loading supplies for another fishing trip.

Mongke and his men marched powerfully up the ramp and Ogodei grabbed the nearest crewman.

"Where's your captain?" he demanded to the terrified crewman.

"Right here" another voice said with irritation.

Colonel Mongke eyed the man. "I take your name is Quan."

"That's right" Quan replied. He knew it was only a matter of time before Ozai's men would catch up to him.

Mongke grabbed Quan by the collar but the man remained undaunted; it was not his first he dealt with men likes these.

"Where's the Fire Lord's wife?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never met her" Quan lied.

"Don't even fucking try to lie to me old man" Mongke spat. "The Fire Lord has known for a long time that you're friends with his wife."

So Ursa was correct to assume her husband knew about that. But Quan remained determined to protect her.

"Even if I knew her, what makes you think where I come into this matter?"

"Because we've questioned the dock workers in the Capital; they saw your ship leave port the same night as Ursa's escape. Even an old crewman of yours admitted to it" Mongke said with a smirk.

Quan swallowed hard at that. These men did not look like the type to leave those they question unharmed. Some of his current crew he had were there that night and they would not last long under a brutal interrogation.

So that left one option left. He hoped that his crew will be spared for it.

"Alright" Quan finally said. "If I tell you what I know, will you let my crew go?"

Mongke smirked at that. "Certainly."

"I took them to the Earth Kingdom. They set out in a small boat towards land" he finally said. "I have no idea where they went after that" he finished with a lie. Knowing he would be asked where she was planning to go by Ozai's forces, Quan never told his crew the specifics of that voyage. _He _was the only one that knew of Ursa's plan to head to Kyoshi Island.

"Where in the Earth Kingdom did you take her?"

"The southwestern seas" Quan admitted carefully. His crew knew where they were and would admit to it, but they still did not know the specifics of anything. "For all I know they're on their way to Ba Sing Se or hiding in some small village. I don't even know where to suggest to start looking."

Colonel Mongke smirked at the information he gained. He will still have to question the crewmen to confirm their captain's story, but he expected they will.

Especially after the example he was about to set.

Mongke rose his hand and coated it in fire. Quan's eyes widen before the strike was blown. He fell to the deck as his crew watched in fear to what happened to their captain.

The ruthless colonel turned towards them, as they were herded together by the other Rough Rhinos.

"Now," Mongke asked grimly, "who wants to talk next?"

* * *

It has been a year since he lost his son, but it was time for him to return home.

Iroh watched the docks to the Fire Nation capital approach. It felt like a lifetime ago since he left it with his son, but after years away, it was time to focus on his true purpose in life.

During his voyage back to the Fire Nation, Iroh had heard that his father passed away and gave Ozai the crown. At first, Iroh felt obligated to challenge him to an Agni Kai for it, as it was expected of him. But during his solace in search for his son's spirit, he found he never wanted to be Fire Lord and came to believe that someone else was meant to become Fire Lord, even though it will be sometime before that would happen.

It was a long ride to the Palace and when Iroh got there, he set out to find his nephew Zuko. But after questioning some of the surprised servants, he learned what had happened in his absence. He wondered why Ursa would be forced to leave, but Iroh concluded she would have been what Ozai would view as a negative influence on his children, so he banished her after gaining the crown. She was always a brave woman, but she proved how brave she was when she fled with her children.

"Attempting to find my son Iroh?" he heard his brother say with disdain.

He turned to face his brother, the new Fire Lord, and eyed him with distrust.

"It appears my efforts have been futile, for your wife left with them. Curious that it happened after our father passed away…"

Ozai scowled at his brother, hoping he would not figure out what had truly happened that night.

"It was a coincident" he lied. "Our marriage hasn't been well and when I became Fire Lord, it broke underneath the strain. I didn't expect her to leave with my heirs."

Iroh glared at his brother for how he referred to his own children as 'heirs'. Iroh was not surprised to hear that Ozai only cared for his legacy and using his children for it.

"Very well then" Iroh said before walking away.

"Where are you going brother?" Ozai said. "Are you not to challenge me to an Agni Kai for the crown?"

"I have no desire for the throne, or even for this life of royalty" Iroh said flatly. Ozai glared at him with disappointment, wanting to prove he truly was the superior brother.

But Iroh had no appetite for it, or any part of the Palace for that matter. He only wanted to find his nephew and prepare him for the future.

Ozai continued to scowl at his brother when a Palace servant approached him and bowed.

"What is it?" Ozai demanded.

"Colonel Mongke sent this message Milord" the servant said before handing a parchment to Ozai. He took it and read it closely, smirking at how Mongke managed to gain information to where Ursa may have fled to. While it was not as much information he could have hoped for, Ozai appreciated the initiative the colonel took to set out and find Ursa and her children.

He burned the burned the parchment to the servant's fearful surprise, not understanding why the Fire Lord seemed pleased about the messaged but decided to burn it. The servant kept his silence, knowing better not to question his Fire Lord.

Ozai marched through the Palace to the training grounds to see how his future was coming to form.

"How are they doing?" he demanded.

The lead instructor turned and faced the Fire Lord.

"They are doing quite well" Captain Piandao reported. While he retired from the army after having becoming battle weary and traveled the world for enlightenment, he had no intention of serving the Fire Nation in the way he did before.

But after hearing what the Fire Lord wanted of him, he could not turn down the assignment out of good conscious for what he feared Ozai had planned for them.

Ozai watched the two non-benders as they sparred with their choice of combat techniques. One was throwing knives at her cartwheeling partner, who was dodging them with difficulty.

"Why are you not training them in the ways of the sword?" Ozai asked disapprovingly.

"It appears they already have their preferences for combat" Piandao reported. "I do intend to instruct them in time, but I feel they'll stick to what they know best. It will make them far better warriors in the long run."

The Fire Lord pondered this for a moment, knowing that the captain had a valid point concerning Ozai's new weapons and tools.

"Very well then" Ozai said as the cartwheeling girl struck at her partner's shoulder, causing the latter's arm to go numb. "Carry on then." He walked away without a hint of emotion.

Piandao sighed in disgust. While he was only told to train the young girls and oversee their education, the sword master was no fool. He could see through the Fire Lord's plans like it was glass.

If Ozai could not have Zuko and Azula for his heirs, he planned on using Mai and Ty Lee to cultivate new ones.

Piandao vowed he will do everything he can to protect them. The fate of the world may depend on it.

* * *

The next couple years in the Southern Water Tribe passed smoothly and quickly. While Hakoda and Ursa admitted to having feelings for one another, they decided it would be best not to act on them and disrupt the balance between their children, who managed to find a way to get along with each other more or less. Sure they got on each other's nerves, but they stuck together somehow.

The parents were also fearful how it would be taken by the village if they took their relationship to the next level, given how much Kya meant to all of them and how it would appear Hakoda was replacing one woman with another.

Still, they took advantages of their scarce private moments to talk, share a hug or even a kiss or two. The two of them felt silly for acting like a couple of rebellious and horny teenagers trying to hide their relationship from their parents.

But they still felt the weight of their responsibilities. The men Hakoda sent to trade with the Earth Kingdom brought back reports of the war, which was going poorly for the Earth Kingdom, especially on the high seas. Kanna and Ursa would also hear concerns voiced by the women of the village, fearful that their husbands, brothers, and oldest sons would have to go off to war. Hakoda held meetings with his Chiefs to discuss the reports brought back, and each time more and more of them came to the same conclusion:

The Southern Water Tribe will have to fight alongside the Earth Kingdom against the Fire Nation.

Hakoda felt incredibly uncomfortable about this, not only for he will be leading these men, some to their deaths, but because he saw Zuko and Azula as his _own _children. He can no longer imagine that the men he will fight would only be faceless and nameless armored figures. They were people with hopes and dreams of their own, and loving families waiting for them to safely return home.

"You'll be leaving to fight in the war soon, will you?" Ursa asked him late one night, when neither of them could not sleep.

"My Chiefs are in agreement that it's only a matter of time before the Earth Kingdom will fall" Hakoda said grimly. "We have to put in our effort to help them, especially on the seas."

"But you don't want to fight my people" Ursa stated softly.

Hakoda looked at her with sad eyes. "No. After your time here with your children, I can only think about the pain I'd bring to the families of the soldiers I'll be fighting."

Ursa took one of Hakoda's hands. "It's okay Hakoda, it's not your fault for that" she said softly. "It's my husband's and his forefather's fault. I'm sure if you could, you'd just wave your hand and end this war."

Hakoda laughed softly at that. "If only I could…

"Yes, and as sad as I would be to watch you go off to war," she said, her voice cracking slightly and tears forming in her eyes, "I'm actually… hopeful you'll go."

Hakoda smiled at her. "Trying to get rid of me, huh?" he teased.

Ursa snickered at that. "No stupid, I'm hopeful that you'll go and fight for a better world. For our children."

"Our children…" Hakoda repeated. The way Ursa made that sound she viewed Sokka and Katara as _her _children as well. He smiled at that, finally found his personal reason to fight.

"Okay, I guess I'll be heading off to war soon" Hakoda said. "Yay" he added with sarcasm.

Ursa swallowed hard at that, fearful that she would never see Hakoda again, but proud of him for wanting to make this world a better place.

For their children.

At the next community feast, Chief Hakoda called everyone's attention. Under normal circumstances, such announcements usually involved a couple getting married, expecting a child or introducing said child to the village. Everyone suspected that the news this time will be not be of a happy note, though some remained optimistic.

"Is your son announcing his proposal or someone else's?" Ogek jokingly asked Kanna.

"If only" Kanna replied. "I'm afraid the news is of a bitter kind. Though I wouldn't hold it against him if he wanted to marry again."

"Even if she would be a Fire Nation woman?" Ogek asked with a teasing smile.

Kanna smiled. "As long as my boy is happy, he can marry a purple platypus bear."

Ogek laughed. "With pick horns and silver wings to boot."

"Thank you all for coming" Hakoda announced once everyone settled down. "Normally these feasts are to announce and celebrate wonderful news, but today is an unfortunate exception."

Everyone became motionless and totally silent, bracing themselves for the news they all were dreading.

"After receiving unfortunate news from our friends in the Earth Kingdom, my council and I are in agreement: the Southern Water Tribe must join our allies in battle against the Fire Nation."

Ursa and her children were particular nervous, thinking their rapport with the village will go to the wayside when everyone is reminded of the war outside their walls. Even Sokka and Katara were nervous, fearful that their friendships will come to an end.

But no one even mentioned anything about that.

"When do we leave Chief Hakoda?" Shikok asked.

"In two months' time" Hakoda said. "That will give us all enough time to prepare the fleet for departure."

The rest of the evening progressed rather somberly. The men were discussing what gear should be loaded, the women discussed how to deal with their husbands and oldest sons being gone and the children were not as playful as they normally were.

When they returned to their igloo, Hakoda, Ursa, their children and Kanna sat down around the dining table to discuss the future.

Sokka was the first to speak up. "What are we going to do as part of the fleet dad?"

Hakoda looked at his son with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean by 'we'?"

"Well me and Zuko, who else?"

"Yeah what are we going to do aboard ship?" Zuko asked.

"You two are not going" Hakoda sternly said, much to Ursa's relief.

"What?" the boys said at once.

"I said you two are not going with me."

"But why?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah you need us dad!" Sokka exclaimed.

"You two are needed here more" Hakoda sternly said.

Zuko grunted in frustration. "You don't think we can handle ourselves, is that it?" he said, the first time he ever disrespected Hakoda.

"No I don't think-" Hakoda began, but Zuko stood up.

"C'mon Sokka, let's go" he said before leaving the igloo. Sokka stood up and followed his friend outside, just as frustrated.

He stomped through the snow outside the village, frustrated by the circumstances. Sokka caught up to Zuko and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Bro are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm just mad okay!" Zuko exclaimed.

"Mad at what?" Sokka asked. "That we can't go?"

"No!" Zuko shouted before he realized it.

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Then what are you angry at? My dad?"

"No! I would never be!"

"Then what are you angry at Zuko?"

Zuko gritted his teeth, rage flooding through his body. If he was not angry that he could not go, or at Hakoda for not allowing him to go, then he was only angry at…

"I'm angry at my country!" he shouted before shooting a strong burst of fire at the ice in front of him causing Sokka to take a few steps back.

"Why?" Sokka asked.

"Because they started this stupid war" Zuko said before walking absentmindedly walking forward. "If they didn't, then maybe you and I could have been friends sooner. And your mom would still be alive."

Sokka looked down at the ice, knowing that his best friend had a valid point. If the Fire Nation had not started this war, then things would have been far nicer than it was.

Before he looked up and could say something, he heard the ice creek under pressure…

"What was-?" he asked.

Sokka looked up just as Zuko fell through the ice he melted, falling through, and scratching his face on the jagged edges.

"ZUKO!" Sokka shouted before running to help his friend, who was head underwater. Sokka reached into the water, the cold biting at his skin despite his think clothes, to reach for Zuko.

But he could not find his friend's hand.

"No, no, no, no!" Sokka said, panic, desperate to pull his friend out.

Just when Sokka started to think about jumping into the water, he felt the ice behind him heat up. After a brief moment of confusion, he realized that Zuko was somehow using his firebending to heat up the ice and cause it to melt. Sokka backed away from the immediate area and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But just when Sokka thought that it was over, Zuko burst from the ice, the left side of his face covered in blood, and he was breathing desperately.

Sokka carefully reached for his friend and pulled him out of the water. Zuko was shaking violently, having been in the water for several minutes.

"It's-it's so-so cold…" he whispered.

"Hang on buddy" Sokka said as he helped Zuko to his feet. "I'll get you to Gran-Gran and she'll patch up in no time."

Zuko groaned as Sokka assisted him walking back to the village, but it soon turned into Sokka carrying and dragging Zuko through the snow, slowing them down. It felt like it was taking twice as long to get back to the village than it did when they left.

But soon the opening to the village came into view and Sokka began shouting for help. A few of the warriors heard him and sprinted out to them. They saw the terrible shape that Zuko was in and helped Sokka carry him back to Chief Hakoda's igloo.

They burst in without warning, startling Ursa and Kanna.

"Zuko!" Ursa exclaimed as she saw the condition her son was in. Kanna was quick to assemble her healing supplies and approach Zuko after he was set down gently on the cushions. Katara and Azula emerged from their room to see what the commotion was about, only for their eyes widening when they spotted Zuko laying on the cushions. Katara was quick to rush to her grandmother's aid and bent some water for her to use.

Kanna began to clean the deep cuts to his face and she grimaced when she noticed that one of the cuts ran across his left eye. She told Katara to flush the eye with water and apply a warm compress to it with some healing herbs. She also noticed that Zuko's clothes were drenched with water.

"We need to remove his clothes" she said to Ursa. Ursa quickly complied, well aware that hypothermia was a grave danger in the South Pole. After removing his clothes they layered several blankets atop of him, the same ones that kept him warm when he first arrived.

Sokka paced back and forth, pulling at his hair in anxiety. He stopped when Hakoda burst into the igloo.

"Dad!" Sokka exclaimed.

"What happened son?" Hakoda said calmly.

"Zuko fell through the ice and was in the water for a while."

"How long is awhile?" Kanna asked.

"I dunno… several minutes?" Sokka said unsure.

Kanna huffed at that and continued to treat Zuko's wound. Ursa and Katara began rubbing the blankets over Zuko, trying to use the friction to heat them up.

Azula stood nearby, shocked by never seeing her brother like this. Sure she loved tormenting and humiliating him, especially with Katara at her side, but Azula hated to see this. She knelt by Zuko's side and began using her unique fire to warm him up.

Ursa noticed this and was relieved and happy to finally see her daughter show great concern for Zuko.

It was over an hour before Kanna finally managed to fully diagnose the full extent of the damage done to Zuko's face.

"He has several deep scratches to his face. They will heal but I'm afraid they'll scar, possibly for the rest of his life."

Ursa nodded sadly. "What about his eye?"

"His eye appears to be fine" Kanna said with a reassuring smile. "Though as a caution we'll keep it bandaged with some ointments. And for the Moon Spirit's sake do not let him rub his eye."

"Okay" Ursa said with a small smile. "I'll tell him when he wakes up."

Sokka sat nearby crossed leg and with his elbow propped on his knees, head in his hands. He spent the entire time berating himself for what happened to his best friend. Ursa placed a gentle hand on Sokka's shoulder. He looked up startled to see her gentle expression.

"It's not your fault Sokka."

"But it is!" he exclaimed. "If I hadn't asked him…" he started before he thought twice before repeating what Zuko told him before he fell through the ice.

"Asked him what?"

Sokka looked away. "Why he was angry."

Ursa dreaded what, or who, Zuko could be mad at. "Is he mad at your father?"

"No" Sokka said. "Zuko said… he said he's angry at his country."

Ursa sighed at this, not finding it surprising at all. "I can understand that. He enjoys his time here and if the Fire Nation hadn't started this war, you two may have been friends without any trouble."

"Yeah, he said that too." He pondered for a moment, unsure if he should ask. "Are you mad at your country Ursa?"

Ursa looked down at her son, believing that the dark path her country took almost a century ago was the reason behind her children's misfortune. But at least they found a new place to call home.

"I wouldn't say I'm mad Sokka" she began. "I'm sad and disappointed for what the Fire Nation has done. Some of which is horrible."

"Horrible how?" Sokka asked tentatively.

"Horrible beyond what you can imagine son" Hakoda said without warning, startling Sokka. Hakoda knelt down and gave Ursa a cup of tea.

"Can you tell me what it is that's so horrible?" Sokka asked.

Hakoda originally was against the idea of explaining what the Fire Nation has been doing to Earth Kingdom citizens. But now he felt that he should explain it, hoping it will convince Sokka and Zuko why they need to stay with the Tribe.

"I'll explain when Zuko wakes up" he said before sipping his tea.

It was not long till Zuko woke up. He propped himself up with some assistance from Ursa and Kanna and he looked at Hakoda in anticipation.

Everyone sat in a loose circle, anticipating what Hakoda had to say. Ursa suspected what it was, given how Hakoda referred to it as 'horrible'.

"Okay everyone," Hakoda began, "as you know I'll be leading an expeditionary force to assist the Earth Kingdom in the war. None of you are happy about this, and I can imagine you two are particularly uncomfortable with it, given I'll be fighting your own people" he said while looking toward Zuko and Azula.

"I'll still go with you" Zuko said firmly. "I'd rather fight by your side."

"I appreciate that Zuko, but I don't want you or your sister and friends to leave here" Hakoda said to Zuko's disappointment.

Hakoda looked at Azula with hesitation. "What about you Azula?"

Azula looked down at the ground, deep in thought. She certainly was not happy about the idea of Hakoda fighting her people, but in a strange twist of fate she came to see the Water Tribe people as her friends, and Hakoda and his family as hers.

"It is what it is" she finally said.

Hakoda nodded in understanding, not wanting to push Azula into an uncomfortable position.

"Very well than" Hakoda said. Now came the part he dreaded. "Another reason why we're leaving to fight is because there are terrible rumors that the Fire Nation… is operating concentration camps throughout the Earth Kingdom, using the people imprisoned there as slave labor."

Everyone was stunned to hear of the that, though it was not surprising to Kanna, who saw many waterbenders taken prisoner in the past; it was only logical that was where they were placed.

Ursa too, was unsurprised by this. Azula took notice of this and confronted her.

"You knew, didn't you?"

Ursa nodded solemnly. "Yes. I remember overhearing your father and grandfather speak of it at times. I didn't get many specifics on it."

"Because you didn't want to know" Azula accused more than asked.

"Well it was because your father and grandfather were careful to speak of it in front of me" Ursa said. "But I guess in a way I didn't want to know."

Anger burned through Azula, some of it towards her mother, some towards her country for such a despicable and hypocritical act when she was told the Fire Nation was the most honorably of all nations, hence why the war was necessary.

But most of her anger was directed at _herself_ because she had no idea that it was happening, nor did she made any effort to find out.

"Did- did our waterbenders end up in these concentration camps?" Katara asked.

"I'm afraid so child" Kanna said sadly. Katara scowled, feeling angry that someone would be so cruel to others.

"I take it that since you're not taking Sokka and Zuko," Katara asked, "that me and Azula are out of the question?"

"Yes" Hakoda said with finality. "All four of you are staying here to protect the Tribe."

"But you need us dad!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Yeah we can fight!" Zuko added.

"You'll need us benders to fight" Azula pointed out. "We can-"

"I have made my decision" Hakoda said in the sternest way anyone has heard him.

"But-!" all the children began at once before being interrupted by Hakoda.

"It's _finale_" he said with finality. "Now go to bed."

The children growled and groaned as they filed into their respective rooms, one shared by Sokka and Zuko, the other shared by Katara and Azula. Kanna shared her room with Ursa while Hakoda had his own, a privilege of being the Chief.

But also to keep him and Ursa from going too far.

Kanna retired to her room not long after the children went to theirs, the events of today having tired the elderly woman greatly. Hakoda and Ursa sat together and shared the last of the tea.

"You should go to bed too" she said.

"Only after you do" he countered.

"You have a lot of work ahead of you" she said with concern. "You have to prepare the fleet starting tomorrow."

"That's nothing compared to you looking out for our children" he said smugly.

"I can handle that" she said with a smile, as an idea came to her. "So I guess I'll have to _make _you go to bed you man-child."

"Man-child?" Hakoda said with feign hurt.

"Yes" she said with a smile as she stood up and took Hakoda's hand. "There were several times where I thought I was taking care of _five _children."

Hakoda chuckled as Ursa led him into his room and pushed him down onto his sleeping bag. She attempted to walk away, knowing they have never gone this far, and it was dangerous if they did, but Hakoda held onto her arms.

"What are you-?" she asked before Hakoda pulled her down to gently kissed her. Ursa returned it with eagerness.

They separated and stared at each other, longing and… and something else in their eyes.

"Hakoda, we shouldn't…" she said with no meaning behind it. She desperately wanted to do this as much as he does.

He gained a guilty expression before letting go. "Sorry I just- I just lost my focus…"

Ursa hummed as she stood up and made her way to the door.

But instead of leaving, she closed it and locked it behind her.

Hakoda's eyes widen. "Ursa what-?"

She made her way back to him and straddled him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Just because we shouldn't do it…" she said seductively, "doesn't mean we won't do. Especially when we _want _to." She leaned down and kissed him passionately.

Hakoda returned it with as much vigor. When they broke to catch their breaths, he smiled at her.

"You know… this might be the last chance I get to do this, with going off to war and such…"

"Oh shut up" she said with an amused smile, before they shared a night of such tender love and passion Hakoda had not experience in a long time, while Ursa experienced it for the first time.

The weeks passed quickly but somberly as Hakoda and his men prepared their fleet. Zuko's injury left deep scars across the left side of his face, but his eye escaped unscathed, allowing him to keep his sight. He and Sokka constantly tried to convinced Hakoda to let them come along, to which he rebuked each time. Katara and Azula each fumed in their angry, releasing it by practicing their bending. Katara managed to improve her fighting style to become a competent fighter. But Azula's fire changed into a pure blue form, one that was so hot that it could melt ice in half the time as orange fire could.

"It seems rather fitting" Katara said. "Bending the color of your adopted nation."

"I suppose so" Azula said. "It seems rather poetic."

"You?" Katara teased. "The poetic type?"

"I'm a woman of many talents" Azula said with pride. "I look forward to master lightning."

"Lightning?" Katara asked with wide eyes.

"Yes" Azula explained. "The most powerful of firebenders can generate and bend lightning."

Katara stared at her friend in shock. "How-how are you going to do that?"

"The books that my mother gave me includes instructions on how to generate lightning. Hopefully, I can pull this off…"

Azula focused on the energy within her, attempting to separate the positive Yin and the negative Yang. When she felt them trying to come crashing back together, she moved her arms in a circular motion and focused on providing its release and direction…

Only for it to blow up in her face.

She was launched several feet back into the snow. Katara gasped in terror, never seeing her friend failing at something on the first try.

"Azula!" she screamed out while running to her friend.

"I'm fine…" Azula groaned before she got up with determination. "Let me try that again."

"You can't be serious…" Katara said in disbelief and concern.

"Actually I am" Azula said with finality.

Katara gulped as Azula focused her mind again. From what she knew about Yin and Yang is that they were opposite of each other, yet they cannot live without another. How they did this was by living in harmony of each other, void of any conflict…

And that is when Azula realized it. Her mind must be clear of any conflict to properly generate lightning and guide it.

But she felt conflicted, for her home nation and adopted nation were enemies, but she identified with both. She did not know which nation her true loyalty laid, but she refused to turn her back on either.

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply…

And imagined her nations being at peace with one another.

She focused on this image and moved her arms in a circular motion, small sparks forming on her fingertips, which formed into larger bolts around her. She stretched out her arms, the lightning shooting out across the sky.

Katara started at her friend with a wide open jaw. She could never imagine anyone doing this.

But it came to no surprise that Azula could, and did, do it.

"That-that was amazing!" Katara said with a smile.

Azula breathed deeply and wiped her hair that fell in front of her face. "It's not perfect, but it's a start."

"Still an amazing start!" Katara repeated, making Azula smile, not just for generating lightning, but also finding meaning for something bigger than herself.

The day came sooner than anyone wanted. The men loaded the last items necessary while those with families said their goodbyes, knowing they may not get the chance again.

Hakoda was finished giving direction to Bato before he moved to say goodbye to his family.

"Are you sure we can't come with you dad?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah" Zuko sad, "we're strong, we can fight. We want to go."

"Sons" Hakoda began, "the most important thing about being men is knowing where you're needed the most. And right now that's staying here looking out for your sisters."

"I don't understand…" Sokka said with tears in his eyes. Zuko also sniffled in sad confusion.

"One day, you boys will understand that" Hakoda said before bringing both in for a hug. "I'm going to miss you two."

Sokka and Zuko returned the hug tightly with tears flowing freely.

When the boys calmed down, Hakoda went to say goodbye to his girls. Katara gave him a hug tighter than Sokka and Zuko did while crying in despair, but Azula hesitated, unsure if she should do the same.

But Hakoda answered that for her. He hugged her tightly, like she was one of the precious things he valued more than his own life.

Azula returned the hug so powerfully that Hakoda believed the circulation in his body would be cut off.

Obviously Hakoda hugged his mother, but when it came to Ursa he wanted to kiss her deeply. But they agreed that their children, the village and even themselves were not ready for them to announce they took their relationship to the next level.

So in the end, they settled for a hug.

"You stay safe out there" Ursa said with tearful eyes.

"I'll try my best" Hakoda said as stoically as possible, but all he wanted was to stay here and just be a family man.

The ships set out that day, leaving a sadden village behind.

With only the oldest men remaining in the village, they were unable to do tasks such as fishing and hunting, leaving the tasks to the handful of teenage boys, mainly Sokka and Zuko who can handle themselves the best. But they could not do it alone, so Katara and Azula would also do the same tasks.

"Why don't you two work on your sowing or something" Sokka said irritated because Azula became too eager for a kill on snow deer, causing it to escape.

"Why don't _you _working your sowing" Azula snapped back.

"Men don't sow clothes!"

"Well don't come crying to me when you rip your pants! Again!"

Zuko grunted while Katara shook her head at Sokka's and Azula's latest spat. The months and now close to two years since Hakoda's departure have not been kind, despite Kanna's and Ursa's efforts to give the children- or more accurately, teenagers- as much freedom as possible. With what free time they had, the benders practiced their skills, trying to polish them for real combat. Sokka, and to some extent Zuko, tried to teach the younger boys how to fight, but the oldest of them were barely ten, with more interest in playing warrior than being warriors.

And now today they had to set out in their canoes to haul in fish. But what they did not know is what they will discover will intertwine their destinies with that of another person long believed to be dead forever…


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The teenagers set out to fish that day on board a boat that could hold all four of them. When they reached the area where the fish tend to congregate, Sokka and Zuko prepared their preferred methods of fishing.

"Watch and learn girls," Sokka said as he readied his spear, "this is how you catch a fish."

"No way," Zuko countered as he lowered his fishhook and bait into the water. "Hakoda said this is the better way to catch a fish."

Azula rolled her eyes at their banter. "You two couldn't catch a fish even if it lands in your laps."

Sokka's eyebrow twitched. "Why don't you show us how it's done Azula?"

"I would but I don't have anything to use" Azula said before she looked at her best friend Katara. "Or appropriate bending" she said with a smirk.

Katara smiled and looked for a fish to catch. After spotting one, she moved her arms to bend the water around it and brought it to the surface. She smiled while Azula smirked.

"Look boys," Katara said, "I caught one."

"Quiet" Zuko said as he focuses intently on the water.

"Yeah I'm trying to concentrate" Sokka said as he readied to spear a fish.

"Seriously?" Azula said. "You two dolts aren't going to-?"

But she was interrupted when Sokka raised his spear and the back of it broke the bubble of water around Katara's fish, causing the water to splash all over him while the fish smacked Zuko on the head before it fell back into the water. Both the boys glared at Katara, thinking she did it on purpose.

"What was that for?" Sokka demanded as he tried to ring out his clothes.

"What did we do this time?" Zuko added while he rubbed his head.

Katara huffed at them. "You two were taking forever catching fish and I decided to use my waterbending to finish the job for you."

"And you call yourselves men" Azula jabbed.

Before either Sokka or Zuko could defend themselves, a powerful current took over their boat and takes them deeper into the ice fields. Sokka and Zuko attempted to control the boat while Azula and Katara shout at them to go in a certain direction.

It was to no use however, when two ice sheets crushed the boat, causing its occupants to abandon it and land onto an ice sheet near a large iceberg. They came to their senses and realized they were stranded.

"Oh this is just perfect!" Sokka shouted.

"Well what did you expect Sucker?" Azula shouted back at him. "You two are idiots!"

"Sucker?!" Sokka shouted in shock. "Don't call me that!"

"Well it seems pretty fitting since you and Dum-Dum are always being idiots!" Azula shouted louder.

"We're not idiots!" Zuko shouted in turn.

"Well you two did a marvelous job of getting us stranded" Katara snapped back.

"Well if that's the case," Sokka demanded, "why didn't you just waterbend us to safety?"

"So it's Katara's fault" Azula said dangerously.

"I knew we should've left you two at home" Sokka grunted. "Leave it to girls to screw things up."

Azula and Katara stared daggers at Sokka. Zuko gulped and thought that his best friend went a little too far this time. But before he could say anything to defuse the tension, Katara went on a rant.

"Ugh you are the most sexist, immature nut brain-!" she shouted at Sokka while waving her arms around, stirring the water around them. "I'm embarrassed to be related to you!"

Sokka tried to ignore her but he took notice of the water beginning to rise and make the ice sheet to heave back and forth.

"Uh, Katara…" he said but was ignored.

"Shut up!" Azula snapped at him before looking and pointing menacingly at Zuko. "And you're no better than him Dum-Dum!"

But Zuko had greater things to worry about, such as the rising water caused by Katara. "Uh, Katara please settle down…"

"Not happening!" she shouted back. "You two are constantly off playing soldier while Azula and I have to clean up after you! Well we're done!" She waved her arms more, causing the ice sheet they were on to heave more. "From now on, you two are on your own!" She sent a powerful wave behind her and cracked an iceberg in several places, causing it to break apart.

Only then did Azula and Katara noticed the damage done. The iceberg split apart into several pieces, causing the ice sheet they were on to be pushed away.

Sokka, Zuko and Azula started at Katara in amazement.

"Okay," Sokka said, "you just went from weird to freakish Katara."

"I can't believe I did that…" Katara said in mild shock. Even Azula and Zuko were shocked at what Katara accomplished, never seeing anything like this from her before. Soon a bright blue ball emerged from under the water and the teenagers stared at it in confusion. Katara was particularly interested in it, given how she caused it to rise to the surface. She raised an eyebrow in confusion, noticing a human form within the frozen ball.

She then gasped when the human form opened its eyes.

"There's someone in there!" she exclaimed. "We have to help them!" She grabbed Sokka's club slung on his back and ran towards the ball while Zuko withdrew his twin machetes he grew to favor over the years.

"Let me help you!" he shouted as he ran after her. Sokka grimaced in mild fear while Azula scowled at her friend's and brother's foolhardiness.

"Get back here you two! We don't know what that thing is!" Sokka shouted as he and Azula ran after their siblings, who were already smacking and hacking at the ice.

"Do you two think _that's _a good idea?" Azula reprimanded.

Her plea went ignored as Zuko and Katara kept striking at the ice. They were soon stopped when a burst of air out of the ice pushed them back.

But before the any of them could say anything, a bright blue ball came to the surface of the water and the teenagers started at it in confusion.

Then a bright blue light shot out from the iceberg into the sky.

Colonel Mongke stood on the deck, fuming after spending nearly five years looking for what had to be the most elusive woman in history.

After questioning the captain and his crew, the Rough Rhinos set out to where Ursa and her children set off for only Mongke and his men to run into a dead end. They spend the next years going from village to village in the Earth Kingdom, questioning everyone they could find to no avail.

In their rage, they left a trail of destruction in their wake.

Mongke was the worst perpetrator of it, knowing if he failed, the Fire Lord will have his head.

But he will not give up. If he had to, he would spend the rest of his life on this mission.

Before he headed inside, Mongke spotted a bright light shoot from the horizon and into the sky. He narrowed his eyes and concludes that it was irregular.

"Set course for that light" he ordered.

"Sir," Kahchi said, "that could be just the celestial lights."

"We've seen those before" Mongke grunted. "This is different."

Kahchi nodded, knowing best not to question his commanding officer, especially when he was getting desperate.

Mongke scowled at the sky, knowing if he did not find any traces of Ursa this far south, he would likely go on a rampage.

As the light continued to linger, a boy emerged with glowing eyes and tattoos. Sokka held up his spear while Azula took up a firebending stance.

"Stop right there!" he shouted.

The boy continued to stand as if unimpressed, but the light from his eyes and tattoos faded and he started to stumble. Katara rushed up to him as he fell to the ice. Zuko started at the boy in confusion while Azula and Sokka stared in mistrust. The latter began poking at the boy's head with the blunt end of his spear.

Katara glared at her brother for his rather rude act. "Stop it!" she reprimanded as she pushed the spear away. She looked back at the boy, who slowly started to wake up.

He slowly opened his eyes and inhales deeply at the sight of the pretty girl holding him and was even more enamored when the breeze gently blows her braids.

"I have to ask you something…" he said in a weak voice.

"What?" Katara asked with concern.

"Please… come closer…" he asked. Katara leaned in.

"What is it?" she asked again, worried that he was as weak as he sounded.

His eyes suddenly shot open with excitement. "Will you go penguin sledding with me?" he asked in an excited and normal voice.

Katara looked at him in confusion. "Uh… sure I guess" she answered, confused by the sudden change of the boy's behavior.

The boy leapt up while the air around him twisted outward away from him, causing Sokka to shout in surprise while Zuko looked at the boy in amazement. Azula raised an eyebrow, wondering if…

_No that's impossible. They've been extinct for a hundred years_, she thought to herself. A pang of guilt poked at her heart, but she set it aside, believing it was not her fault for what happened long before she was born.

"Where am I?" the boy asked as he scratched the back of his head.

"Don't you know?" Zuko asked.

"Uh, no I don't. That's why I asked" the boy said.

"Why don't you tell us?" Azula asked mistrustful.

"Yeah, how'd you get into the ice?" Sokka added. "And why aren't you frozen?"

"I have no idea" the boy said defensively. A loud grown erupted from the ice above the group. The boy smiled happily and jumped up. The teenagers followed where they spotted a large furry creature with six legs. Zuko and Katara were amazed by it while Azula eyed the creature with distrust, believing it to be dangerous; Sokka's jaw comically fell in shock.

"Appa!" the boy shouted as he hugged the creature's head. "Are you okay? Wake up buddy." He lifted one of the creature's eyelids in an attempt to wake it. The creature stirred and got up.

"Ha-ha you're okay!" the boy said gleefully.

"What is that thing?" Azula asked.

"That thing could feed the whole village for a week…" Sokka whispered callously. The boy did not hear him but Katara elbowed her brother for saying such a crass thing.

"This is Appa, my flying bison" the boy said proudly.

"Right" Zuko said unconvinced. "And this is Azula, my flying sister" he said in a poor attempt to jab at his sister.

"Actually," Azula said thoughtfully, "I probably could fly." She smirked at her brother, who pouted knowing that she probably could with her firebending.

Suddenly, Appa began inhaling deeply and sneezed, spraying Sokka and Zuko in mucus. Both of them panic and tried to rub the mucus off of them. Azula laughs at them while Katara dreadfully thought about cleaning _that _out of their clothes.

"Don't worry" the boy said casually. "It'll wash out."

Sokka rubbed mucus off of his face and grimaced at the sight. Zuko fared no better as he wiped the mucus off himself.

"You two are washing that out yourselves" Katara warned. She turned to the boy. "I'm Katara. This is my best friend Azula" she said as she gestured to her. Azula nodded, still unsure whether or not the boy can be trusted. But she had to admit he seemed innocent enough so she can give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Don't tell him who we are!" Sokka said suddenly. "He was trying to signal the Fire Navy with that light."

Azula rolled her eyes at Sokka's ridiculous accusation. "Sure he was" she said sarcastically. "You can tell by that evil look in his eye."

The boy smiled innocently in turn.

"The paranoid one is my brother Sokka" Katara said.

"And the one with the ugly scar is my brother Zuko" Azula added while Zuko eyed her, still insensitive about the worst day of his life. "You still haven't told us your name."

"I-I-I" the boy said before inhaling deeply. He sneezed loudly and high into the air. He landed gracefully and wore a look that indicated it was an everyday thing.

"I'm Aang" he said before sniffling and rubbed his nose.

"You just sneezed" Sokka said shocked. "And flew ten feet into the air."

"Really?" Aang said. "It felt higher than that."

"How did you do that?" Zuko asked.

"Because he's an airbender Dum-Dum" Azula answered for him.

"An airbender?" Katara said hopefully.

"Yep, I'm an airbender" Aang said with a smile.

"Giant beams of light, so called flying bison and now an airbender" Sokka said disbelieving. "I think I've finally got Midnight Sun Madness. I'm heading home where things make sense."

"Oh yeah?" Azula asked skeptically. "How are you going to do that Dummerang?"

"Dummerang?!" Sokka said aghast while Azula smirked at him. Katara laughed at him while Zuko was secretly relived that he was not the only one with a mean nickname from Azula.

"Well, if you guys are stuck, Appa and I can give you a lift home" Aang offered before jumping atop of Appa and taking the reins.

"We'd love a ride!" Katara exclaimed before climbing abord. "Thanks!" Zuko shrugged and climbed abord while Sokka and Azula remained skeptical of the bison.

"You really want to trust that thing?" Azula asked.

"Yeah I'm not getting on that giant snot monster" Sokka said scornfully.

"Do you have any other choice?" Zuko asked his best friend. Sokka was about to say something but he had nothing to argue with and reluctantly climbed aboard Appa. Azula remained stubbornly on the ice.

"Please Azula" Katara pleaded her best friend. "I don't want you to freeze out here."

Azula frowned at that, knowing her firebending can keep her warm. But her rational mind kicked in and reasoned that she could not do that forever as the temperature dropped significantly. And even if she could fight the cold, she will likely starve to death before reaching the village.

Even more reluctant than Sokka, she climbed aboard and sat down in the back of the saddle with him. Both wore deep frowns at having to trust someone and their animal with getting them home. Zuko was unsure what to think but Katara was rather excited to see Appa fly.

"Alright first time flyers, hang on tight!" Aang shouted with excitement. He shook the reins tied to the bison's horns and shouted, "Appa, yip-yip!"

Appa used all the might in his six legs to launch himself into the air. Katara shouted in glee while the boys grimaced in anticipation of the impact they expected. Azula remained unimpressed, believing that the bison cannot fly.

As always she was right when the bison splashed into the water and began swimming through the water.

"Wow, that was really impressive" Sokka said sarcastically.

"Yeah it's amazing to finally experience flight" Azula added with her own sarcasm.

"Don't worry," Aang said unfazed by their comments, "Appa's just tired. When he's rested he'll be soaring through the sky."

"Looking forward to it" Katara said with a smile. She was about to turn to sit in the saddle but noticed Aang was staring at her.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

"Oh," Aang said self-consciously, "I was staring?"

Azula laughed at that, guessing their guest has a crush on her friend. Sokka frowned at that, thinking the same thing.

Zuko on the other hand, remained oblivious to all of that. He raised his eyebrow at Azula.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"You don't see it Zuzu?" Azula asked. "I guess your eye must be more affected than what Kanna diagnosed."

Zuko scowled at his sister but then heard Aang snicker.

"Zuzu?" he said.

"It's what Azula calls Zuko" Katara explained. "She also calls him Dum-Dum."

Aang's smiled waned at that. "That's not nice."

"Well it's a little sister's job to be a pain in the ass for their older brothers" Sokka said. "Believe me."

"I wouldn't know" Aang confessed. "I didn't spend too much time with girls around my age."

"That's obvious" Azula said, causing Sokka to laugh. Azula glared at him. "Like you have any better experience than him." Sokka scowled at her, causing Azula to smirk in turn.

"Why didn't you spend any time around girls when you were growing up?" Katara asked.

"The monks believed that keeping boys and girls separate during our training would be better" Aang said.

"But how would you learn to interact with girls?" Zuko asked. "You didn't do such a good job just a few minutes ago."

Aang was taken aback by that. However Zuko intended for that to sound, it gave Aang a sour taste in his mouth.

"Well I just have to start learning now" he snapped before looking back over the sea in the direction Appa was swimming.

Zuko was confused by Aang's reaction but decided not to press the issue.

As dusk approached and Appa made his way back to the village, everyone largely remained quiet, tired from the day's excitement. Zuko collapsed onto the saddle floor within an hour of them taking off while Azula and Sokka held a silent competition on who can stay awake the longest. Azula won but just barely as she collapsed onto Sokka's shoulder after he fell into a deep sleep. Katara kept wondering about what Aang knew about the previous Avatar and debated on asking him.

She moved toward the front of the saddle and spotted Aang laying on Appa's head with his legs elevated on the bison's neck. He stared at the blue sky but spotted Katara pear over the saddle's edge.

"Hey" she said.

"Hey" he replied with a small smile, happy that she was taking an interest in him.

"I was wondering…" Katara began, "since you're an airbender, do you know what happened to the Avatar?"

Aang's eyes widen at that, not wanting to answer that, mostly because of his fear of the truth.

"Uh no," he lied. "I don't know what happened to them."

"Oh okay" Katara said with mild disappointment. "I hoped you would know but it's okay. I'm going to get some sleep. Goodnight."

"Goodnight" Aang said. After Katara turned away, he grimaced in guilt for lying out of fear.

Lightning flashed and thunder resounded. Aang woke with a start on top of Appa's head. He glanced about and soon saw his mentor appear in front of him.

"Monk Gyatso?" Aang asked.

"Why did you leave us Aang?" Gyatso replied.

"I didn't mean to" Aang said shamefully.

Monk Gyatso dissipated from the air and soon Appa was being tossed about through the chaotic sky. Aang shouted and attempted to direct Appa into a safer direction but it was fruitless…

Aang woke with a start inside an igloo. He glanced about and remembered where he was headed after he was broken free from the iceberg.

The girl who found him came into the tent and smiled brightly.

"Aang!" Katara exclaimed. "You're finally awake."

"Yeah" he said, trying to hide how rattled he was. "When did we get here?"

"Late last night" she said. "It took a while to calm the elders down after seeing Appa."

"They didn't hurt him did they?!" Aang shouted.

"No, no" Katara reassured. "He's fine." Aang breathed a sigh of relief. "C'mon, get dressed" Katara continued. "I want to introduce you to the whole village."

"Okay" he said as he grabbed his clothes. Katara paid close attention to the blue arrows tattooed on Aang's arms and legs. If Gran-Gran said was true, Aang is a master airbender. Maybe the only one in existence.

After he finished dressing, Katara grabbed him by the arm and led him outside. When they exited the igloo, dozens of women, and children, along with some very old men, stared in a mix of awe and suspicion.

"Aang," Katara began, "this is the entire village. Entire village, this is Aang."

"Uh, hi" he said awkwardly. "Why are they staring at me like that?" he whispered to Katara. "Do I have something on my face?"

An elderly woman with a striking resemblance to Katara and another woman with features similar to Azula stepped forward. Sokka, Azula and Zuko stood nearby, the former two mistrustful of Aang while the latter stared in uncertainty.

"No one has seen an airbender in a hundred years" the elderly woman said. "We thought them extinct."

"Extinct?" Aang asked.

"Aang, this is my grandmother" Katara said.

"Call me Gran-Gran" Kanna replied with a smile.

"Okay" Aang said. He looked over the woman with features striking similar to people from the Fire Nation. In fact Zuko and Azula had those same features as well. "Who's this?"

"This is my mother" Zuko said while stepping forward. "And in a way, Sokka's and Katara's stepmother."

"I wouldn't quite put it that way Zuko" Katara said with a lopsided smile. Ursa froze slightly, wondering if her and Hakoda's children had suspicions on the extent of their relationship.

"C'mon she's been helping out Hakoda since we got here!"

"Doesn't make her our stepmom!" Katara exclaimed. "They'd have to get married. And they don't see each other that way."

That comment hurt Ursa, but she understood why Katara would believe such a thing. It also put her at slight ease knowing Katara was unaware that Ursa and Hakoda had feelings for one another.

Aang stood there in confusion, not sure what to make of this strange family. Sokka strolled up to him and took his staff away.

"What is this?" he asked. "Some kind of weapon? You can't stab anyone with this."

"Not all weapons have sharp edges Sucker" Azula said condescendingly after rolling her eyes.

Aang laughed at their spat. "My staff isn't for stabbing, it's for airbending." He twirled it about, and wings emerged quickly from within. Sokka yelped at that, causing Azula to laugh at him.

"Magic trick!" one of the children exclaimed with excitement. "Do it again!"

"It's not magic, it's airbending" Aang corrected. "I use it to control the air currents around the wings to allow me to fly."

Sokka rolled his eyes at that. "Last time I checked; humans _can't _fly."

"Check again!" Aang said before grasping his staff by the wings and taking off into the sky. Everyone was amazed at how Aang maneuver through the air effortlessly. Even Azula was impressed and became determined to find a way to use her firebending to fly as well.

Aang smiled in glee at how everyone was amazed that he can defy gravity. But it cost him his attention and he crashed into a watchtower made of snow. It collapsed with him, burying him but he was unharmed.

Sokka and Zuko starred in disbelief, their hard work gone to waste.

"Our watchtower!" they said in unison and ran towards it, with Katara and Azula in tow. The former was concerned for Aang, while the latter was amused at how the boys were upset to see their precious tower destroyed.

Aang popped out of the snow with little effort. He smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm a lot better at airbending than that. I just got distracted."

"Great" Sokka grumbled. "Katara's a waterbender, Zuko and Azula are firebenders. You four can just have one giant bending fest."

Aang's eyes widen and he looked between the girls and Zuko, the latter trying to figure out how to help Sokka, who was desperately trying to find their equipment buried beneath their tower.

"You three are benders too?!" Aang shouted in excitement.

"Uh?" Zuko said absentmindedly. "Yeah we are." He began digging through the snow, which caused it to fall onto Sokka. Azula and Katara both began laughing at their misfortune. Aang smiled awkwardly but turned his attention back to the girls.

"So what are two firebenders doing in the South Pole?" he asked.

Both the girls became silent at that, knowing the answer was rather complicated and sensitive.

"We can discuss that later" Ursa said gently. "I have breakfast ready. Hope you're hungry too Aang."

"I'm starving!" he said, forgetting his question in an instant. "Hope you have plenty of fruits and veggies."

"Oh" Ursa said with mild regret. "As an Air Nomad you're a vegetarian."

"That's right" Aang said proudly. "Is that a problem?"

Ursa smiled at him. "No dear, it's just we only have seaweed and steamed sea prunes. You can have the boy's share."

Sokka suddenly burst from the snow. "No veggies for me? Great!" He took off towards the igloo in excitement. Zuko was a bit put off that his friend would place food over salvaging equipment, but it was no surprise given his disdain for vegetables and love of meat. He followed everyone else into the igloo while all the villagers returned to their homes to have their own breakfasts.

Everyone was aware of the elephant-moose in the room but Aang paid no notice to it due to having difficulty in eating the steamed sea prunes. While he thoroughly enjoyed the seaweed, he could not for whatever reason stomach the prunes. And obviously he was not going to eat the fish or other meat products.

"You don't have to eat the sea prunes if you don't enjoy it dear" Kanna said with a kindly smile.

"No, no I-I actually enjoy them!" Aang said but the grimace on his face as he swallowed said otherwise.

Katara giggled at his attempt to show kindness. "Are you still interested in penguin sledding Aang?"

Aang perked up at this. "You bet! When are we going?"

"We'll go after our meal" Katara said with a smile.

"I'll go with you too" Zuko said after finishing his fish.

Katara rolled her eyes at him. "After what you did today? I don't think so."

"It was an accident!" Zuko protested. "Besides, I've never gone penguin sledding."

"And you never will because you're a clutz" Katara teased. Azula smirked in pride at how great Katara was giving Zuko a hard time.

"Hey!" Zuko exclaimed before Katara began laughing at him. "That's not funny!"

Aang took notice of Katara's teasing of Zuko. He once heard that if a girl likes a guy, she will tease and even torment them to get their attention, bad news for Aang if he wanted a chance with Katara.

"Yeah, maybe you shouldn't go Zuko" Aang said. "You might get hurt."

"No I won't" Zuko scowled.

"Even so, you're not going" Katara teased again. It actually did not matter to her if Zuko went or not, she kinda wanted him to go, but she just found it fun to torment Zuko just as much as her brother. It occurred to Katara that Azula rubbed off too much on her.

Zuko growled in frustration, prompting both Katara and Azula to laugh. Sokka paid no heed to the ensuing argument, more focused on the extra meat and fish Aang did not want. Kanna and Ursa both sighed at Katara's refusal to let Zuko go with her and Aang.

"You should let Zuko go with you Katara" Kanna said. "If you don't, he'll just go off on his own and do it anyway."

"Yes," Ursa agreed, "I much rather he go with you for safety."

"But-!" Katara began.

"No buts young one" Kanna sternly said. Katara silenced herself, knowing better than to contradict her grandmother. Zuko smiled in triumph, even though his victory over Katara was rather hollow.

"Fine" Katara said in feigned defeat, still indifferent to Zuko going with her and Aang. Then suddenly an idea came to mind that it would be fun if Zuko came along, if only to give Katara a good laugh at his misfortune when he crashes. She bite down on the inside of her lower lip to hid the smirk from everyone, who had no idea what she planned to do.

Except Azula, who knew that Katara can have a mean streak like her. Azula looked forward to hearing the story.

"What about you Azula?" Katara asked. "Do you want to go?"

Azula sighed. "I wish I could, but someone needs to keep this oaf in line" she said while gesturing towards Sokka. He finished his meal and was now paying attention to the conversation.

"Oh, what? You think I can't be left alone?" he asked with a frown.

"Nope" both Azula and Katara answered in unison. Sokka groaned at their response while Ursa and Kanna sighed deeply, wondering how these four teenagers manage to balance arguing and working together.

Soon after the dishes were cleaned, Katara led Aang and Zuko to the grounds where the penguins liked to congregate. When Aang spotted them, he shouted in glee and began pursing them. Katara giggled at him while Zuko gave a lopsided smile.

"He sure is rather carefree about life and all" he commented.

"Yeah he sure is" Katara said as she watched Aang attempt to jump and grab a penguin to no avail. "Certainly, a welcomed change to the village since…"

She remained silent for a moment, not wanting to say what that change was.

"Since Hakoda left for the war?" Zuko asked carefully.

"Since before that" Katara said sadly. Zuko understood who she was referring to and knew better than to bring it up.

Zuko watched Aang as the airbender once again attempted to catch another penguin. He managed to get his arms around one, but it slipped out of his grasp. To Zuko amazement Aang thought it was funny rather than frustrating.

"Do you think he knows what happened to the last Avatar?" Zuko asked to change the subject.

"I asked him about that, and he said no" Katara said. She thought about that brief conversation she had with him. "But I can't help but wonder that he does know something."

"And he's not telling?" Zuko said with a smirk. "You've hung out with Azula way too long. You're starting to pick up some of her talents about lying. Both good and bad."

"Well mostly the good talents" Katara said with a sly smile. She noticed Aang still struggling to catch a penguin and decided it was time to help him. "C'mon, let's give him a hand." She led Zuko over to Aang, who was laughing hysterically about the penguins, who were more curious than scared.

"I guess I don't quite have a way to charm these guys like most animals" he sheepishly admitted.

Katara giggled at his supposed guilt. "The art of catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art" she said jokingly. She pulled some small fishes from her parka's pockets. "Observe" she said before tossing the fish towards the penguins, who gathered around her to receive more. Katara than tossed a few to both Aang and Zuko, who then had penguins surrounding them.

Within minutes, the three of them were riding the penguins down a slick hill of snow. Katara and Aang were both shouting and laughing in glee.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid!" Katara shouted.

"You still are a kid!" Aang shouted back before laughing.

In contrast to their fun, Zuko was grimly trying to get his penguin to slow down, as he was quickly surpassing both Katara and Aang. He was the first to reach the bottom of the hill and instead of letting the penguin come to a complete stop, he let go and flew several feet through the air and landed face first into a pile of soft snow. Katara and Aang came to his aid but laughed at his misfortune when they saw he was alright.

"I'm never doing that again" Zuko sternly said while brushing the snow out of his hair and parka.

Katara giggled at him while trying to help him with her waterbending. "You should've let the penguin come to a complete stop _before _getting off Dum-Dum."

Zuko groaned at Katara using his own sister's nickname for him, causing Katara to laugh even more. Aang watched their interaction and cannot help but feel slighted that these two have a connection to one another, when he felt that it was him and Katara that had a connection.

He frowned and looked away, spotting a dark and imposing metal structure incased in the ice.

"Hey, what's that?" he said to get their attention off of each other.

Katara and Zuko looked towards where Aang was looking and spotted the abandoned Fire Nation warship. Katara looked at it in dread while Zuko looked shameful.

"A Fire Navy ship" Katara began, "and a really bad memory for my people."

"And a shameful one for mine" Zuko added.

"A shameful bad memory" Aang repeated thoughtfully. He began walking towards the ship to the dismay of Katara and Zuko.

"Aang you can't go in there!" Zuko shouted.

"Yeah, there might be booby-traps!" Katara added.

"Are you two benders?" Aang asked, to which the other two nodded. "Then to be a master bender, you must first master fear." He led the way into the ship oblivious to the dangers while the others followed him reluctantly.

As they explored the ship, Aang was amazed by the technological advancement of the ship, but was also put off at all the weapons onboard.

"What's with all these weapons?" he asked.

"It's a warship Aang" Katara said. "It was part of a raiding force from years ago."

"Years ago?" Aang asked. "How long ago did this war started?"

"My nation started this war a hundred years ago" Zuko explained in shame.

"You mean the Fire Nation started a war?" Aang asked. "I don't remember a war being started by any of the four nations."

"How long were you in that iceberg Aang?" Katara asked.

"I don't know" Aang said unsure. "A few days maybe."

"Then how do you not know about the war that's being raging for the past one hundred years?" Zuko asked.

"It's because he was frozen in that iceberg for one hundred years" Katara said with realization.

"What?!" Aang said with shock. "That's impossible. Do I look like a hundred year old man to you?"

"Maybe that blue light kept you and Appa safe somehow" Katara theorized. "But you need to think this through Aang. How do you not know about the war that's being happening for the past one hundred years?"

The reality of the situation sunk deep into Aang. He was gone for one hundred years. And it was during a time when the world needed him the most.

He collapsed against the bulkhead and fell to the deck. "A hundred years…" he said in defeat. Katara knelt down beside him a put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay Aang" she said. "We'll help you through this."

"Yeah, we got your back" Zuko added.

"Who knows?" Katara added. "Maybe some good can come out of this."

"Well I did get to meet you" Aang said, his optimism returning as he smiled at Katara, who returned it.

"Hey what about me?" Zuko asked. "Are you glad to meet me too?"

Aang smiled at him, but also felt a twinge of a wish that Zuko was not here to ruin his chances with Katara.

But he still appreciated Zuko's offer of friendship.

"Yeah, I am" Aang finally said.

They continued to search through the ship, much to Katara's and Zuko's protest.

"Aang, we should leave, it's getting spooky in here" Katara said.

"Yeah and we might set off some booby-traps" Zuko warned.

"I need to know more about this war" Aang said determinedly before rounding a corner and felt his ankle tug at a string. He tried to back away from it, but it was too late…

The three benders heard a shot go off and rushed to a nearby window, where they watched in horror as a flare flew high into the sky before it exploded in a bright red ball.

"Uh-oh" Aang said with mild fear.

"We need to go!" Zuko shouted. "Now!" He led the way out of the ship with Katara and Aang close on his heels. They came to an open hatch and found that no gangway was there to let them down.

"Hang on!" Aang said before grabbing Katara bridal style and jumping down from deck to deck onto the ice. He turned to go back for Zuko. "Hang on, I'll be right there!"

"You two get going!" Zuko shouted back. "I'll get down on my own!" He took a running start and leapt through the hatch aiming for the ice. Right before impacting the ground, he shot out a powerful blast of fire, slowing down his decent and landing softly.

"Nice landing" Aang compliment. "Worthy of an airbender."

"Thanks" Zuko said. "Let's get going. Who knows who spotted that flare." The three benders took off running towards the village, hoping no one hostile saw the flare.

But their wish would prove futile.

Colonel Mongke used his field glasses to take a closer look at the abandoned ship. He spotted what looked like a man carry a woman bridal style jumping from deck to deck with flawless grace.

But it was the second man, who used powerful firebending, that caught his attention.

"Get the rhinos and the grunts ready!" he ordered his men. "I believe we've found our quarry" he finished with a malicious smirk.

It did not take long for Katara, Aang and Zuko to reach the village. Kanna, Ursa, Sokka, Azula and several others waited by the main entryway, the teenagers there with weapons ready.

"What did you three do?" Sokka demanded.

"You went on that ship" Azula reprimanded. "I told you that it was booby-trapped."

"Yeah," Aang said with guilt, "and we boobied right into one."

"Katara, Zuko," Kanna sternly said, "you two know going abroad that ship is forbidden."

"We know" Zuko said with shame. Katara shared that same feeling.

"It's my fault" Aang admitted. "I was insistent that we go because I wanted to see the truth about the war."

"Well you're about to get a real good example for that" Sokka growled. "For all we know a Fire Navy ship is on its way!"

"You should leave" Azula said to Aang with daggers in her eyes. "You are responsible for what happened."

Katara was appalled at that. "So what? Aang is banished like that?"

"That's right" Sokka confirmed. "The foreigner is banished from our village."

"Fine!" Katara shouted. "If Aang is banished than I am too!" She grabbed Aang by the wrist and pulled him away. "C'mon Aang, we're heading to the North Pole."

Aang felt a flurry of excitement at the idea of traveling with Katara alone. "Really? Great!"

"Katara," Azula said, "you would really turn you back on _your _family? On _your _tribe?"

Katara halted at her friend's words, knowing she was right. Katara just could not do that, no matter if that would mean becoming a master waterbender.

"Katara," Aang said gently, "I would never ask you to turn your back on your people. I'll go on my own."

Katara looked at Aang pleadingly. "You're leaving? Just like that?"

"I'm afraid so. I think it's time for me to return home" he said with a smile, which turned into a small grimace. "Man, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that."

He turned towards the villagers, specifically Kanna and Ursa. "Thank you for your hospitality" he said while bowing. "I hope you all stay safe."

He jumped aboard Appa and urged him to begin walking away from the village.

Katara watched Aang and Appa leave the village with sadness. Kanna walked up behind her. "Katara, please come back to the village. We may need your help." Katara nodded and walked back with her grandmother.

Sokka began organizing the teenagers to defend the village. "Alright, armor up and get your weapons! The Fire Navy can be here any minute!"

The teenagers began running to the armory to do as ordered. Zuko also ran in that direction but was stopped by Sokka.

"You, Ursa and Azula should hide" he warned. "The Fire Nation may still be looking for guys."

"So what?" Zuko protested. "I'm ready to fight!"

"Zuko," Ursa urged, "he's right. If we hide, maybe Sokka can bluff and tell the Fire Nation sailors that we're not here."

Azula rolled her eyes at the idea of Sokka bluffing. "Like he can do that."

"I can bluff!" Sokka squealed.

"Like a cow-pig can fly" she teased. Sokka growled but Ursa spoke before he could.

"That's enough. We are hiding Azula, no argument." She grabbed both her children by the arm and headed into their igloo. Azula and Zuko both fumed in disappointment and anger but maybe if Sokka can pull this off, maybe their home will be spared.

The village remained tense as they waited for the inevitable. Not far away, Aang and Appa rested atop a snow hill, realizing that the latter cannot fly just yet due to exhaustion.

Appa groaned suddenly. Aang took this for him missing Katara.

"Yeah, I miss her too" he mused. He turned his head towards the sea, where he spotted a more advanced looking Fire Navy ship heading straight for the village. He gasped when he spotted menacing looking men running about the main deck.

Know they were looking for Ursa and her children, he sprang into action, planning on giving himself up to save them.

"Appa, wait here!" he shouted before flying off on his glider. Appa groaned but did as he was told.

Sokka and his warriors waited at the edge of the village, waiting in a mixture of anticipation and dread for the Fire Navy.

They did not have to wait long when a Fire Navy ship began plowing through the ice cap like a knife. The vibrations of it making it difficult for the Water Tribe warriors to keep their balance, but they held themselves in place, despite the ship getting closer and closer.

"Oh man" Sokka said to himself but held his ground.

"Sokka!" Katara shouted. "Get out of the way! All of you get out of the way!"

The teenagers did as they were told but Sokka stubbornly stayed in place. Soon a large snowbank forced him back. He still held his ground but was finally forced to move with a yelp when a ramp fell forward.

Five rhinos came marching down the ramp with riders, four of which carried weapons, but it was the lead rider that was the scariest of them all.

"I am Colonel Mongke of the Rough Rhinos and we are looking for a traitor named Ursa" he shouted. "She is wanted for high treason against the Fire Nation."

"Never heard of her" Sokka defiantly said before charging forward. The man on the rhino laughed and launched a fire ball at the ground, forcing Sokka to halt. In response, he launch his boomerang at the man, who dodged it with ease before he bark a laugh.

"Is that all you got boy?" he challenged.

"Wait for it…" Sokka said smugly.

Mongke crooked an eyebrow, wondering what the boy meant. He soon got his answer when the boomerang smack him on the back of the head on its return trajectory.

He growled in anger before launching several fire blasts in front of the village.

"You think this is a fucking joke boy?!" he shouted.

Sokka yelped in response and he tried to dodge the fire.

Zuko and Azula stood by the doorway of their igloo, unable to stand watching their village under attack.

"Well there goes Sokka's bluff" Azula said unsurprised.

"We have to help!" Zuko said as he grabbed his machetes while Azula grabbed her boomerang.

"NO!" Ursa shouted and tried to hold her children back but it was futile because they were much stronger than her now.

"I have a plan mom!" Azula said. "Stay here!"

"No you two are NOT going out there!" Ursa pleaded.

"Yes we are" Azula sternly said before she pushed her mother harshly away. Kanna caught Ursa but they still fell to the floor. "Sorry mom, Kanna, but we have to do this" Azula said sincerely before grabbing Zuko and running outside.

Ursa was dismayed with herself for allowing this to happen. After seeing that Kanna was okay, she tried to leave the igloo but Kanna stopped her.

"They're doing this to protect you and the village" she said.

"And how are they doing that by running into a deadly fight?!"

"I believe Azula plans on bluffing now" Kanna said before sighing. "We just have to trust her."

Ursa wept slightly but decided to trust her daughter, for Azula had to trust her when it was dire.

Mongke and his men laughed at how Sokka desperately tried to evade the fire blasts. Mongke soon stopped and shouted, "Had enough boy?"

"He might have, so you have to deal with me" a young woman's voice echoed through the village.

Mongke frowned at that. "Who said that?"

Azula landed in front of Sokka, while Zuko and Katara ran up to him and helped him to his feet.

Mongke eyed the pale teenagers and realized they both shared a resemblance to the Fire Lord.

"So, this is where your pathetic tramp of a mother hid you all these years" he said with a smirk. "Rather clever of her."

The teenagers scowled at how this cruel man referred to Ursa as a pathetic tramp.

"So, where is she?" Mongke asked.

"She died years ago" Azula lied. "Drowned at sea while trying to get me and Zuko to safety."

"Is that true?" Mongke asked.

"Yeah it is" Zuko said, catching onto what Azula was doing. She did not show it, but she was actually proud of Zuko's wit this time. Maybe he is smarter under pressure. Or at least more trusting of her.

Mongke scowled at that, disappointed that he and his men will not be able to witness, or even partake in, the kind of sadist punishment Ozai had in mind for Ursa.

But he will still be pleased to have his heirs back.

"Very well than" he said. "You two will come back to Fire Nation at once. Your father will be pleased to see you."

"I'm sure he will" Azula said with sarcasm.

"Like hell we'll go back to him" Zuko said. "We're not going anywhere."

"He's worried sick about you two" Mongke said unconvincingly.

"You're lying" Azula said. "He doesn't care about us. Not in the way these people have." While she remained loyal to her nation of origin, it was more of an idea of what her nation could be rather than what it is.

And she knew Zuko felt the same way.

"The Water Tribe welcomed us and raised us like their own" Zuko said. "We are not turning our backs on them."

Mongke sighed in frustration. "If you won't come willingly, then we'll take you back by force. Men."

The other men on the rhinos moved to surround the teenagers, intending to take Azula and Zuko while making them pay for their insolence by killing the two Water Tribe savages they were helping, followed by the whole village.

The teenagers formed a tight circle and braced themselves.

But suddenly, a massive gust of air came crashing down onto the Rough Rhinos. After the snow blown up by it cleared, Mongke spotted a boy clad in orange and yellow clothes with a staff standing before him.

"Why are you here?" he demanded.

"We're here for the Fire Lord's children. He has ordered us to return them home" Mongke said with a deep frown.

"The Fire Lord's children…?" Aang said in disbelief. He glance at Zuko and Azula and suddenly it came to him.

Ursa was keeping them away from the Fire Lord to break the cycle of destruction caused by this war.

"You are not taking them" Aang said with determination.

Mongke burst out laughing with his men. "And who are you to stop us?"

"Because my name is Aang, and I am the Avatar."

Everyone remained silent at this revelation.

Except Azula, who had a feeling that he _was _the Avatar. "I knew it" she said.

"The Fire Lord's children _and _the Avatar?" Mongke said thoughtfully. "It _is _our lucky day. Take him as well men."

Mongke launched a burst of flames at Aang, who twirled his staff to disrupt it, but small amounts of it went towards some of the villagers who screamed in fear.

Aang saw this and decided this was not the place to fight.

"Wait!" he said before anyone else could launch their own attacks. "If my friends and I go with you, will you leave this village alone?"

"What are you doing?" Zuko whispered.

"This is the only way to keep the village safe" Aang whispered back. "I can and will get us out of this."

Azula was not one to give up before trying her hardest, but realization set in. "He's right, Zuko" Azula said, catching onto what Aang was implying. If her instincts were right, and they were always right, Aang will use the Rough Rhinos' lack of knowledge of dealing with airbenders to allow them to escape.

Zuko furrowed his brow, unsure if he could believe Aang, but knew he was right about keeping the village safe.

"Fine" he said before surrendering with Aang and Azula. Sokka and Katara were shocked that their friends were surrendering so suddenly.

The Rough Rhinos took their weapons and place metal bindings around Zuko's and Azula's wrist, knowing they were likely firebenders, but they tied Aang's wrists with rope, unaware that they just assisted him.

"Is that it?" Katara said. "You're all giving up?"

"We'll be fine guys" Azula said with a smirk, the kind of smirk that Katara and Sokka has seen before, when Azula came up with a brilliant plan. They paused for a moment, realizing that this was all part of an escape plan.

They nodded in response, knowing what they had to do.

"Load up the prisoners!" Mongke shouted. "It's time to head home."

After the Rough Rhinos led the Avatar and the Fire Lord's children aboard their ship, it pulled away, with many of the villagers sadden that two of their beloveds were now gone along with the Avatar.

After the ship disappeared over the horizon, Ursa came running out of the igloo that Katara and Sokka were approaching.

"Is it true?!" Ursa said hysterically. "They took my children?!"

"Don't worry Ursa" Sokka said reassuringly. "We'll get them back."

"Including Aang" Katara said with determination.

"How?" Ursa said. "How are you going to catch that ship? The Fire Navy's ships are some of the fastest in the world."

"I'll use my waterbending to catch it" Katara said. "It'll be tough, but I'll get it done."

"Not with all the items you'll need for you trip" Kanna said.

"What items Gran-Gran?" Sokka asked as he checked his weapons. "We're coming right back."

"And they'll follow you" Kanna said matter of fact. Katara and Sokka grimaced at that thought.

"And it is also time for you to fulfil your destinies with Azula and Zuko" Kanna added.

Ursa, Katara and Sokka stared at the elderly woman with confusion.

"What are you talking about Gran?" Sokka asked. He was never one to believe in predetermined destiny, preferring to take manner into his own hands.

"Aang is the Avatar, he's the world's only hope for peace and balance. The four of you found Aang for a reason. And now all of your destinies are intertwined with his."

Sokka and Katara looked at each other, feeling the weight of the world pressing down onto their shoulders. Ursa felt a strong pain in her chest, knowing that her children, both actual and adopted, were about to face great dangers and hardships for who knows how long.

But she could not argue with what the Avatar must accomplish. She knew that better than most.

She teared up with pride and took Katara and Sokka into her arms. "I AM so proud of you for finding the Avatar with Zuko and Azula. Makes sure to tell them that, and to look out for one another."

Katara returned the hug while Sokka awkwardly patted Ursa on the back.

"We will" Katara said. When Ursa let her go, she hugged her grandmother closely.

"You have a long journey ahead of you" Kanna said. "It's been so long for me to hope, but you and Azula brought it back to me my little waterbender." Kanna let go and turned towards Sokka. "And you my brave warrior… make sure you and Zuko are nice to your sisters." She hugged Sokka tightly.

Sokka hugged his grandmother back. "I'll take care them Gran."

After gathering their gear, along with Azula's and Zuko's, Katara and Sokka approached their new boat, but Katara stopped and stared at it.

"There's no way we're catching them in that boat" she said with doubt.

"Well we don't have any better options do we?" Sokka said.

But then, they heard a loud roar behind them. They turned and spotted Appa approaching them, as if he knew what happened and was telling them they needed him to rescue his rider and the others.

"Appa!" Katara said with a smile and ran towards him. "Looks like we do have a better option than that boat Sokka!"

Sokka frowned. "You just love taking me outside my comfort zone."

Onboard the now sailing ship, Mongke eyed Aang staff with disdain. "What kind of weapon is this?" he said with scorn. "Do you just bash it over people's heads?"

"Give it back and I'll show you what I can do with it" Aang said defiantly. He has met some rather unpleasant people in his shortish life, but Mongke and his men took it to an all new level.

Mongke laughed out loud and raised the staff to chest level and bended his leg to a ninety degree angle. Aang's eyes widen in horror as he realized that Mongke was about to break it in two. Aang knew how to do minor repairs to it, but he had no ideas or means to make it one piece when it was broken in two. Azula and Zuko also knew that a similar fate awaited their favored weapons too.

"Wait" Azula said sternly. Mongke froze with a scowl, wondering what she would say. "It's true my father will reward you handsomely for capturing us, but wouldn't keeping the Avatar's staff and the weapons of the Fire Lord's children as trophies sweeten the reward?"

Mongke raised an eyebrow in thought, then smirked in delight that he would have a few mementos for capturing the last airbender and finding the Fire Lord's children

"Perhaps you're more like your father than you realize girl" he said as he held Azula's boomerang. Azula was not sure if she should take either comment as a compliment or an insult. Zuko scowled at Mongke when the colonel dragged the twin machetes along the deck.

"Take them below deck" Mongke ordered before turning to his original members, Kahchi, Ogodei, Vachir and Yeh-Lu. "Let's head topside to celebrate." His men gleefully followed, wanting to drink in what felt like ages, even though they drank just a few days ago.

Mongke's men, ordinary firebenders from the mainline Fire Navy, dragged Aang, Azula and Zuko inside and began heading towards the brig in the lower decks. Azula search the men for a key to her and Zuko's bindings and spotted one on the belt of the lead man.

_Fool. You should never carry the keys to your captive's freedom when near them. _She nodded towards Aang and gestured to the keys, and he understood what she was implying.

It was time to escape.

"So," Aang began, "I guess you guys never fought an airbender before. I bet I can take on all four of you with my hands tied behind my back!"

"Silence" the helmeted leader said.

Aang nodded towards Azula than Zuko. They nodded back, Azula knowing what will happen next while Zuko caught onto what will happen after he noticed Azula eyeing the key.

Aang took a deep breath, causing the key to fly off from the lead firebender's belt towards Aang's mouth. He caught it and jumped up to deliver a powerful kick towards the leader, launching him forward down the corridor. Aang then spun around to trip the soldier who attempted to grab hold of him. The firebender collapsed to the deck with a loud thump.

Azula spun around and twirled in the air, launching a powerful azure blaze of fire at the two remaining guards. They stumbled back in horror, never heard of, much less seen, blue fire before. Zuko took advantage of their back footing to trip them.

The three of them then sprinted back towards where they came from and stopped before the entrance to the main deck. Aang jumped up and slipped his hands under his feet to allow himself to free Azula and Zuko from their shackles. Azula then carefully burned the rope around Aang's wrist to free him.

"Now what?" Zuko asked.

"We get our weapons" Azula said. "Once we have them we can try to take one of their emergency craft."

"Or I can fly us out of here" Aang said.

Azula eyed him with skepticism. "How would that work?"

"Well you two can hang onto the top of my glider while I fly it. That should work" Aang said before scratching the back of his head. "I think."

"You _think?" _Azula growled, causing Aang to recoil slightly with a bashful smile.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Zuko said, "but I like Azula's plan better."

"Now you grow a brain Zuzu" she replied. He scowled at her before they heard one of the men they fought chase after them. Azula launched a fire blast at him to scare him off. The three of them took off to find their weapons. They soon developed a tactic of Azula and Zuko using their firebending to suppress the crew, while Aang used his airbending to shield them or knock down the crewmembers when the opportunity came.

As they climbed the tower, they came across a rather large bedroom, where their weapons laid atop a table.

"Our weapons!" Zuko shouted before he and Aang rushed into the room. Azula scowled at their lack of focus, not clearing the room before rushing to retrieve their weapons. She jumped through the hatch and checked each corner behind it.

But the room was empty. She narrowed her eyebrows in suspicion. This _had _to be Mongke's room, so why would he leave it unlocked?

She grabbed her boomerang and spotted several documents on a nearby desk. She grabbed a bag and stuffed as much as she quickly could into it.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked. "We need to go!"

"These documents would be useful to us Dum-Dum" she said after rolling her eyes. They soon left the room and took off. Azula froze when they were running down a corridor. Aang and Zuko stopped and stared at her.

"What now?" Zuko growled.

"We should go back the way we came" she answered.

"You're not serious are you?!" Aang said. "That's the way they're running to find us!"

"Perhaps but Mongke is no fool" Azula said thoughtfully. "He would expect us to think that and choose a different way."

"So you think the way we came would be less guarded" Zuko said.

"Or not guarded at all" Azula replied.

"You don't know that" Zuko said.

"And neither do you Dum-Dum."

Zuko growled at her while Azula stared at him with daggers.

"Guys!" Aang shouted. "We can't stand here bickering. We need to move. I say we find a hatch that leads outside on this deck and I can try to fly us off this ship. Or at least glide us to an emergency boat."

Zuko and Azula stared at him skeptically, not wanting him to fail and have them fall into the freezing water.

But that idea was the best way to avoid more of the crew.

"Alright, we'll do it your way Avatar" Azula said. Zuko nodded in agreement and they took off to find a hatch that led outside.

When they found one, Aang opened up his glider to allow Azula and Zuko to grab the top of it. Aang took a deep breath and leapt into the air and used all of his power to fly them to safety…

But the weight was too much, and they crashed onto the main deck. When they stood up, they found they had their backs to the railing, while Mongke's men surrounded them.

Mongke ran onto the deck and scowled deeply at his men's stupidity. He swore next time, he will take prisoners to the brig himself.

"You're surrounded!" he shouted. "Just give it up!"

Aang, Azula and Zuko braced themselves as the men closed in on them…

After Sokka and Katara loaded all their gear, along with Zuko's and Azula's, they climb aboard the bison's saddle.

"Come on Appa," Katara said, "it's time to save our friends. Let's go!"

Appa roared and jumped high into the air. Katara smiled at the prospect of flying…

Only to be let down when Appa crashed into the water and began swimming.

"I knew he couldn't fly" Sokka said.

Katara glared at him before speaking to Appa with an encouraging voice. "Ignore him Appa. I know you can fly. And you have to fly in order to save Aang and the others. You can do it."

Sokka shook his head. "Go" he said, trying to get the bison to fly. "Fly. Soar.'

"Please Appa. You have to fly to save our friends…" Katara pleaded. Appa roared an agreement but did not take off into the sky.

"Up. Ascend. Elevate" Sokka continued to no avail. He thought back to when Aang tried to get Appa to fly. "What was it that kid said before? Yup-yup? Yahoo? Uh… yip-yip?"

Appa groans loudly and suddenly he began to flop his tail against the water. He hops atop the surface of the water and picks up speed. Katara and Sokka look at each other, wondering what Appa was trying to achieve…

And with a mighty heave, Appa soared into the sky.

Katara smiles proudly at Appa, knowing he can do it all along. Sokka shouts gleefully as he looked down at the water and ice, unafraid of the tremendous height.

"He's flying!" he shouted in joy and looked at his sister. "Katara he's-!" he paused as his sister looked at him with a satisfied smirk.

"I mean," Sokka said nonchalantly, "big deal he's flying."

But Sokka was still amazed at the incredible feat of flight, an act he once thought only birds were capable of.

Katara looked toward the direction where the Fire Navy ship took her friends.

"Alright," she spoke with determination, "let's save our friends."

As Aang, Azula and Zuko braced themselves for the end, the men approaching them suddenly stopped and looked into the sky. Some even took a few steps back with looks of disbelief and fear in their faces.

Suddenly, a large roared echoed through the air, causing the trio to turn and look at the source…

To find Appa, with Katara and Sokka atop of him, diving toward the ship at high speed.

"Appa!" Aang shouted with a joyful smile.

"He _flies_?!" Azula asked in disbelief.

"He flies!" Zuko shouted in confirmation.

Still in the air, Appa spun around before landing on the deck, causing the men to leap back in shock. Then the bison lifted his tail and slammed it against the deck, causing a massive blast of air to knock the men, including Mongke and his lieutenants, to fly back into the bulkhead of the tower.

"Let's get out of here!" Azula ordered before running to climb aboard Appa with Katara's help. Sokka did the same for Zuko while Aang used his airbending to leap onto Appa's head.

After checking to see if everyone was secure before shouting, "Appa yip-yip!"

Appa took off in a hurry, sensing the urgency of the situation.

Mongke gathered his senses and saw the bison taking off.

"Bring them down!" he shouted. "Whatever it takes!" He began shooting several fire blasts into the air, along with several other firebenders and Vachir the former Yuyan Archer.

Aang spotted the incoming attacks and began swatting them down with his staff.

But then a blunt arrow made of animal hide smacked him in the head, causing him to lose consciousness.

He lost his balance and fell into the freezing water.

"NO!" Katara screams in horror. Zuko growled in anger and began returning with fire of his own, with Azula adding her own blue flame to it. Sokka took control of Appa, urging him to fly higher and away from the ship.

"Aang!" Katara shouted toward the water. "Aang! Aang! AANG!"

Hearing Katara's voice awoken something in Aang, for his eyes opened wide and began glowing along with his airbending master tattoos. He began waterbending and shot back above the water atop a water whirlpool. He looked towards the ship and sends a powerful wave of water into the board side of the ship, forcing it to crash into the ice, damaging its bow and forcing it to a complete stop. The Fire Nation sailors aboard abandoned the fight to focus on damage control. Mongke stared at the boy who did this.

"Did you see what he just did?" Katara asked in astonishment.

"I don't believe it…" Azula said.

"That was amazing" Zuko commented.

"_That _was real waterbending" Sokka added.

Seeing that the Fire Navy ship was no longer a threat, Aang's eyes and tattoos lose their glow and he lost control of the water. He begins falling back towards the water, but Sokka managed to direct Appa to allow Katara and Zuko to catch Aang. Appa flew higher into the sky, escaping the clutches of the Fire Nation.

Mongke scowled at the damage that one child did to his ship.

"Good news for the Fire Lord" Kahchi said. "The greatest threat to the Fire Nation, is just a boy."

"That _boy_ Kahchi, just did _this_" Mongke growled. He stalked towards the tower. "Dig this hulk out of the damn ice and follow them!"

"Sir, we'll need to dock at the nearest port for repairs" Yeh-Lu reported.

Mongke growled in frustration but understood the necessity of it.

"Just get it done! NOW!" he shouted with small sparks of fire escaping his nostrils. He marched into the tower, intending to have a stiff drink.

As the new heroes fly through the sky, four of them stare at the newest addition to their pack.

"How did you do that?" Katara asked with amazement. "With the water down there? It was the one of the most amazing things I've seen. Next to Azula's blue flames." Azula smirked in pride, knowing her talent was on par with an Avatar's.

"I don't know" Aang answered with uncertainty. "I just sort of… did it."

"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" Azula asked rather forcibly.

"Because…" Aang began, not sure if he should say it. But he has to be honest with his new friends. They just risked their lives for him.

"I never wanted to be the Avatar" he admitted.

"But why?" Zuko asked. "Who wouldn't anyone not want to be the Avatar?"

"Because it's a lot more complicated than it looks" Aang said downcast.

"But Aang," Katara said, "the world has been waiting for a hundred years for the Avatar to return and restore peace and balance to the world."

"But how am I going to do that?" Aang pleaded.

"Well since you've already mastered airbending," Azula began, "you now need to master water, earth and fire. Or at least according to legend."

"Yeah," Aang said, "that's what the monks told me."

"Well," Katara said thoughtfully, "if we travel to the North Pole, we'll find a waterbending master."

Aang smiled brightly. "Then we can learn it together!"

Zuko and Azula recoiled at the idea of going to their sister tribe.

"That might be a bad idea" Zuko said.

"Yeah we won't be welcomed all that much there, being firebenders and the Fire Lord's children" Azula added.

"We'll vouch for you two" Katara said reassuringly. "Especially if the Avatar is involved."

Zuko nodded his head optimistically but Azula remained unconvinced, but she decided to go along with it.

"Alright," she said, "if it will help end this war so I can see the Fire Nation again, so be it."

Katara smiled at her reassuringly, knowing her friend is a lot more hopeful than she lets on.

"And there's a chance we'll see dad again" Katara added.

"That'll be great!" Sokka shouted while Zuko smiled brightly. Even Azula could not contain the joy she felt about seeing Hakoda again.

"Alright!" Aang said before jumping into the saddle and pulling out a map. "But before we get to the North Pole, we need to make some stops." He unrolls the map and points to several locations on it. "Here, here and here."

"What's all there?" Katara asked.

"Here," Aang said while point to a spot on the map, "we'll ride the hopping llamas. Then waaaay over here we'll serf on the backs of giant koi fish. Then back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like it when people ride them, but that's what makes it fun!"

Katara and Zuko stared at Aang in disbelief, while Azula pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation and Sokka smacked his forehead in frustration.

"This trip is going to take longer than it should" he said.

"Agreed" Azula added.

"Don't be a bunch of sour platypus bears!" Aang said. "It'll be fun!"

But they all had no idea that their journey will take them to places they never thought they would see, where they will meet people they never knew could exist.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

As the sun rose up on the eastern horizon, Appa calmly grazed on the grass while Aang was checking Appa's saddle and reins to ensure a proper and tight fit. He made sure to triple check it all because he was beyond excited to return to the Southern Air Temple, his home.

"Wait till you see it Katara" Aang called out to her, while she prepared to set out for the day. "The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places I've seen in the world!" he said with enthusiasm.

"Aang," she said cautiously, "I know you're excited, but it's been a hundred years since you've been home."

"That's why I'm excited!" he said as he jumped off Appa and landed gracefully onto the ground.

"You know that a lot has changed in the last one hundred years right?" Azula said after finishing packing her things.

"I know, and that's why I need to see if for myself" Aang answered.

_More than you realize airbender _Azula thought to herself. She walked over to where Zuko was still wrapped in his sleeping bag, soundly asleep. Azula frowned at his lack of urgency to get the day started.

"Wake up Dum-Dum!" she yelled before kicking Zuko's hip. He woke up with a start and leaned up from the ground. He scowled at Azula for rudely waking him up.

"You could've just shook me awake" he grumbled.

"I know, but kicking you was more effective" she replied before looking at Sokka, who was still asleep in his own sleeping bag.

"Wake up Sucker, it's time to get moving" she shouted.

"Yeah Sokka!" Aang added as he ran over to Sokka. "Air Temple here we come!"

"Sleep now…" Sokka grumbled half asleep, "temple later…" He rolled over and started snoring again.

Aang smiled as an idea came to mind as to how to get Sokka up. He picked up a stick and began running the tip of it atop Sokka's sleeping bag.

"Sokka wake up!" Aang shouted. "There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!"

Sokka's eye's shot open and he shouted in fear. He quickly jumped up and began hopping around violently.

"Get it out, get it out!" he shouted before tripping and landing face first onto the ground with a look of irritation at the Avatar's prank. Azula and Katara laughed at his misfortune while Zuko groaned at his best friend's usual clumsiness.

"Great!" Aang said as if the prank never happened. "You're awake. Now we can finally go!"

The group set out on Appa and began climbing higher and higher into the sky, skimming over the top of mountains. Aang smiled brightly as he recognized several of the mountains.

But Aang was rather oblivious to how the teenagers were acting about the elephant-moose in the room. Katara was rather anxious about it, unsure if she should outright tell Aang what happened.

"Why haven't you told him about what the Fire Nation did to his people?" Azula whispered to Katara.

"I don't know" Katara admitted. "I'm worried how he'll react."

Azula rolled her eyes. "You're such a mother."

Katara scowled at her best friend, though she was not overly upset about it because it was true to an extent. She did pick up some of the slack after her mother died because Ursa, as much as she tried, needed a good amount of help from Katara and Kanna to adjust to not having the luxuries of a palace.

"Well why don't you tell him Azula?" Katara asked. "You're not as worried about how he'll react." When Azula looked away, it gave Katara a hint about why she had not told Aang herself.

"Or are you afraid how he'll look at you and Zuko for being the descendants of the monster who started this mess?" Katara said in a whisper to avoid Aang overhearing.

Azula glared at her friend, both for her crass question and how they were fighting. But she had to admit that it is true that she does not have an appetite to fight the Avatar.

"I wouldn't say worried," Azula arrogantly said, "more like I rather have him as an ally then an enemy."

"Yeah you're afraid" Katara said with a smirk while Azula glared at her, before smirking herself at how Katara can be sassy as she can be motherly.

Sokka and Zuko sat towards the back of the saddle, checking over their weapons.

"You really think the Fire Army would be there?" Zuko said as he sharpened his machetes, making sure he had the option to use them to either conceal or increase his firebending.

"I can imagine they'd leave a garrison there in case an Avatar would go there" Sokka said logically as he finished sharpening his boomerang and started checking his club for cracks.

"I hope you're wrong" Zuko said with a frown.

"He'll be wrong" Azula said as she joined them to prep her boomerang. "As usual" she said as she eyed Sokka with a mean smirk.

One of Sokka's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "And what makes you think the Fire Nation won't be there?"

"I stole documents from the Rough Rhino's ship" Azula said proudly. "One of them had a map of Fire Nation garrisons throughout the world. None are present at the Southern Air Temple."

"And how do you know those documents are accurate?" Sokka asked with disbelief.

"Because Sucker, they belonged to a colonel in the Fire Nation Army" Azula sad smugly while sharpening her boomerang.

Sokka pouted before saying, "Well maybe those documents are out of date. That colonel seemed to be way more brawn than brain."

"Well you are right on that last remark" Azula said truthfully. Sokka smiled, thinking he was gaining the upper hand in this argument.

"But those documents were dated from only a few weeks ago, so I doubt they placed a garrison there in that time" Azula said nonchalantly, causing Sokka to pout in frustration that he lost this argument. Azula smirked at his frustration, satisfied that she won against him again.

Without warning, Sokka's stomach growled loudly.

"Hey, stomach, be quite all right? I'm trying to find us some food" he said as if his stomach was a person of its own. He dug through his bag to grab his blubbered seal jerky, only to find it gone.

"Hey!" he shouted. "Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?"

"Maybe you ate it without realizing it" Azula said. "Wouldn't surprise me given how you're such a glutton." Sokka shot Azula a look, to which she smirked.

"Actually," Aang said innocently, "I didn't know it was food, so I used it to start the fire last night."

"You WHAT?!" Sokka said horrified. "Awww, no wonder the flames smelled so good."

"Maybe I should start the campfires from now on" Zuko said.

"Yeah you should" Katara said with a mean smirk. "It's all your bending is good for."

Zuko glared at Katara while Azula laughed and Sokka tried to muffle his own.

But Aang could not laugh at Zuko being teased because it looked like Katara had a crush on him and was being mean to him for it. Girls can be very confusing he thought. He shook his quickly and focused ahead, spotting a familiar sight.

"The Batola Mountain Range!" Aang shouted in excitement. "We're almost there!"

"Aang," Katara said with anxiety, "before we get to the temple, I should talk to you about the airbenders."

"What about 'em?" Aang asked.

"Well, I just want you to be prepared for what you might see…"

"And what would that be?"

"How much damage the Fire Nation caused" Azula said. "They can be quite thorough." Katara shot Azula a look for rather harsh words, but Azula just stared back at her, implying that Aang needed to face the truth one way or another.

"Just because no one has seen an airbender in a hundred years," Aang said optimistically, "doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all. They probably escaped."

"I doubt that" Azula whispered darkly.

"Listen Aang," Katara continued, "I know it must be hard to accept."

"You don't understand Katara" Aang said. "The only way to get to one of the Air Temples is on a flying bison. And I doubt the Fire Nation has any flying bison."

"They climbed up the mountain side" Azula said.

"It's too steep to climb" Aang replied.

"By hand, yes" Azula countered, "but the Fire Nation used a new weapon called the crossbow to fire large metal arrows with chains to climb."

"That sounds ridiculous" Aang said.

"You'll see" Azula said, no longer seeing the point in trying to convince Aang.

"Sure I will" Aang said with disbelief. "Appa, yip-yip!" Appa groaned before speeding up to reach the Air Temple.

Soon the temple came into view. The teenagers, including Azula, were in awe by the magnificence of it, amazed that somehow an incredibly large structure could be built on a mountain top.

"There it is…" Aang said, "the Southern Air Temple."

"Aang, it's amazing!" Katara said with glee.

"How did they build that?" Zuko asked.

"I assume one brick at a time" Azula said sarcastically.

"Or they had earthbenders build them hundreds or thousands of years ago" Sokka suggested.

"No…" Aang said, "all the Air Temples were built solely by the ancient airbenders." His eyes began to tear up as pleasant memories of this place came back to him. "We're home buddy" he said to Appa. "We're home." Appa groaned in happy agreement before beginning the descent down to the temple.

After docking their damaged ship in Togo Harbor in the Southwestern Earth Kingdom, Colonel Mongke and his men disembarked from the ship. They have been to their harbor recently and dreaded being here because of some of the senior officers stationed in this place. Despite the harbor being named after Admiral Togo, a brilliant naval commander and honorable hero of the Fire Nation, none of the current senior officers here had no sense of honor.

Even though the Rough Rhinos had rather twisted sense of honor in their own right, making them hypocrites.

"Vachir, get the dockmaster to repair my ship as quickly as possible" Mongke ordered. "Ogodei and Yeh-Lu, you get the swabbies and grunts to gather supplies. I want to leave as soon as it's done, and make sure _no one_ mentions anything about the boy. I don't want anyone getting in my way."

"Getting in the way of what, Colonel Mongke?" a familiar and arrogant voice said, causing the Rough Rhinos to stop.

Mongke turned and saw what he considered his naval rival.

"Captain Zhao" Mongke said with disdain.

"It's _Commander_ now" Zhao corrected. Mongke scowled at that, knowing that Zhao was now the Navy's equivalent of the Army's colonel. "The Rough Rhinos are always welcome here. What brings you to my harbor?"

"The Colonel's ship needs repairs" Kahchi answered.

Zhao looked over the bow of the ship, seeing that it rammed into something, or that something rammed into it.

"That's quite of bit of damage" he observed.

"Yes it is" Mongke replied. "But you have no business to know what happened."

"As you wish" Zhao replied. He knew he would not get an explanation from the colonel himself no matter how long he probed for it.

But that did not mean that others from the crew would not hold under persistent and even uncomfortable questioning.

"Perhaps in the meantime, you could join General Iroh and I for some tea" Zhao offered.

"General Iroh is here?" Mongke asked. He served under the Dragon of the West in the past, back when the Prince was a fierce firebender and warrior. He heard that when Iroh returned from his exile or whatever it was after failing to take Ba Sing Se, he set out again immediately to find his nephew. Mongke had no desire for tea, much less tell Iroh what he discovered in the south.

But he did want to size him up in case somehow word reaches him that Zuko is now traveling with the Avatar. He would have serious competition from Zhao if he found out about his new mission, he did not need the Dragon of the West involved.

"Very well then, me and my men can join you and the general for some tea" Mongke answered.

Zhao smiled, knowing his men would have full access to Mongke's ship and crew.

"Follow me please" he said before leading Mongke and his men towards the command area.

After landing at the bison's corral, everyone dismounted Appa while he went to look for some food and water. Everyone looked around in amazement, though Sokka had his own priorities.

"So where do I get something to eat?" he asked.

"You're the first outsider to _ever _visit an Air Temple," Katara reprimanded, "and the first thing you ask about is where to find food?"

"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs" Sokka replied.

Zuko and Azula looked around for any trace of Fire Nation incursion, but they could not find anything, Fire Nation or Air Nomad.

"Where are all the bodies?" Azula said.

"Maybe the airbenders did escape" Zuko suggested.

"I doubt it" Azula said with a frown. "Where would they have gone?"

"The Earth Kingdom maybe? It a huge country and would blend in overtime" Zuko theorized. "That's what I'd do in their position."

"I'm impressed Zuko" Azula said, half sarcastic half earnestly. "Maybe you do have an analytical mind."

"Really?" he asked.

"Well since you asked that, I take back what I said" she teased.

"Hey!" Zuko said. "No take backs!"

"'No take back'?" Azula said with a raised eyebrow. "How childish."

Zuko groaned, knowing he just made an idiot of himself and letting his sister capitalize on it. They returned to the others to hear Aang give a rapid tour of the temple grounds.

"So that's where my friends and I would play airball!" he said while pointing below to a field of tall poles with two goals on both sides. "And… and over there would be where the bison would sleep," he said, his enthusiasm waning, "and…"

"What's wrong?" Katara asked concerned.

"This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison" he said disappointed. "Now it's just a bunch of weeds."

_Compliments of the Fire Nation _Azula thought to herself bitterly.

"I can't believe how much has changed" Aang said sadly.

Seeing Aang in such a sad state, Sokka came up with an idea that could cheer him up.

"So this airball game, how do you play it?" he asked.

"Yeah, I wanna see how this game is played" Zuko said.

Aang smiled and soon it was he and Katara against Sokka and Zuko while Azula elected to watch. Aang was happy Katara decided to play with him and not Zuko.

_Maybe she likes me and not him? _he thought to himself. But he brush that thought aside and served the ball.

Zuko sent a small fire blast to send it back over, where Katara used water to swat it over to Aang, who sent it flying towards Sokka. It impacted him in the stomach and sent him flying through the goal and impacting the ground harshly.

"Yeah!" Aang cheered. "Katara and Aang seven!" he said while gesturing with seven fingers. "Sokka and Zuko zero!" he finished while making a circle to emphasize the lead.

Azula walked over to Sokka, laughing at his misfortune.

"That's what happens when you try to compete with benders" she teased.

Sokka raised his head to tell her off, but he noticed something red in the bush in front of him.

He moved forward to uncover what it was… and it reviled a Fire Nation helmet, a really old one.

"Azula," he said to her, "check this out."

Azula spotted the helmet and knew right away its nation of origin.

"Maybe this will convince him the airbenders are gone" she said before picking up the helmet. She walked over to the rest of the group and tossed the helmet at Aang's feet.

"You see?" she said. "The Fire Nation _was _here one hundred years ago."

Aang leaned down and picked up the helmet to examine it. It was similar to the helmets from the ones he saw in the South Pole, but it was not an exact duplicate.

"Maybe one of the airbenders found this in the Fire Nation and took it as a souvenir" he said. "I've done things like that a few times."

"Really?" Azula said with a scowl. "_You're _that much in denial?"

"I'm not in denial" Aang said with a furrowed brow. "Taking souvenirs happened all the time."

"No you're just-!" Azula began before Katara interrupted.

"I think that's enough" she said firmly. "One helmet isn't proof that the Fire Nation was here."

Azula scowled at that but knew it was true; she will need more evidence to convince Aang that the Fire Nation assaulted this temple and the others.

"Alright, let's get going!" Aang said with enthusiasm. "We have a whole temple to see!"

As the teenagers followed Aang inside, Zuko walked up alongside Katara and whispered, "You can't hide the truth forever from him."

Katara sighed in resignation. "I know, but I just don't want him to fall into despair. Or worse, get angry and attack Azula out of revenge."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at that statement. "What about me? What if he attacks me out of revenge?"

"Then I'd let him have it" Katara teased.

"You can't be serious…" Zuko said worryingly.

"When are you going to realize when I'm being sarcastic?" Katara asked.

Zuko thought for a moment before replying, "When you stop being sarcastic."

Katara snorted quietly and rolled her eyes.

"Hey guys!" Aang shouted. "I want you to meet somebody."

When the teenagers reached Aang, he stood before a statue of an airbending monk.

"Who is that?" Katara asked.

"He looks ancient" Zuko observed.

"Still better looking than you and that scar" Azula said, causing Zuko to glare at her for a moment.

"This is Monk Gyatso, my guardian, teacher and the greatest airbending master in the world" Aang said. "He taught me everything I know."

Aang bows respectfully before the statue and thought back to the last fun moment he had with Gyatso. He baked some terrible fruit pies and remarked to Aang that the secret was in the gooey center. Aang was not paying attention at the time because he was thinking of what he was told earlier that day; the day he was informed he was the new Avatar. He tried to reason that the monks got it all wrong and mistaken him with someone else; he knew that happened to Kyoshi, the Earth Kingdom Avatar before him. Gyatso told him the monks did make a mistake by telling Aang of his Avatar status before he was sixteen, but he was the Avatar, nonetheless. When Aang asked where he would receive guidance and answers on how to be the Avatar, Gyatso reassured him he will receive the answers when he was ready to enter the Air Temple Sanctuary and meet the person most able to help him. Aang was not satisfied with this answer, but he was cheered up when he and Gyatso launched the fruit pies into the air and caused them to land on the stuffier monks, where lemurs landed on them to eat the pies.

After Aang stood upright from his bow, Katara placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You must miss him" she said.

"Yeah" Aang acknowledged before walking down a corridor.

"Where are you going?" Azula asked.

Aang began climbing some steps that led upstairs. "The Air Temple Sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet."

The group soon arrived at a large wooden door with three large airbending symbols arranged in a triangle pattern protruding from the surface of the door. Several tubes and horns went around the door, forming some type of mechanism.

"If there's someone locked in there," Azula began to point out, "there is _no way _they could have survived for a hundred years."

"It's not entirely impossible" Aang replied. "I survived in that iceberg for a hundred years."

"He has a good point" Katara said. Azula rolled her eyes, still disbelieving that there is someone inside.

"Katara, whoever is in there could help me figure out this whole Avatar thing!" he said with a bright smile.

Sokka walked up behind him and said, "And whoever is in there might have a medley supply of delicious and cured meat!"

"Airbenders are vegetarians Sokka" Zuko pointed out but was ignored when Sokka ran up to the door and tries to open it with no success.

Sokka collapsed to the floor before looking at Aang. "I don't suppose you have a key to this door?"

"The key Sokka," Aang said, "is airbending."

Sokka moved out of the way to allow Aang to use his airbending to open the door. He blew powerful gust of air into the horns, which then traveled through the tubes into the large airbending symbols. They vibrated and then turned over, causing the door to open a short moment later.

"Hello?" Aang called out as he walked into the large room. "Anyone home?"

The teenagers walked inside behind Aang and noticed several statues of people in varying styles of clothing from each of the four nations.

"Statues?!" Sokka moaned. "That's it? Where's the meat?"

"Do you _ever _stop thinking with your stomachs?" Azula said.

"Stomachs?" Sokka asked indignant.

"With your obsession with food, I'm starting to think you have at _least _two stomachs" Azula said.

"I only have one stomach woman!" Sokka yelled.

"Then stop trying to overfill it you oaf!" Azula shouted back. "Or you'll be too fat to be of any use!"

"I won't get fat!" Sokka said defensively. "I just digest everything quickly and workout a lot!"

Azula stood silently for a moment, thinking of a comeback but none came to mind. "Whatever Sucker" she said in defeat before walking away from Sokka, who felt triumphant at his victory.

"Who are all these people?" Katara asked Aang.

"Yeah," Zuko asked, "why are only some of them airbenders?"

"I'm not sure," Aang said uncertain, "but it feels like I know them somehow." He looked at one of the statues of a male airbender. "It's like this man is a distant relative to me."

Katara looked past the airbender and looked at the statue in Water Tribe clothes, then in Earth Kingdom and then Fire Nation. It occurred to her that it is a pattern.

"There's a pattern here" she said. "Air, water, earth and fire" she finished while pointing at each statue.

"Isn't that the Avatar cycle?" Zuko said.

"It is" Aang acknowledged.

"These statues are past Avatars, Aang" Katara stated. "They're your past lives."

"Wow!" Aang said before looking around the room and seeing over a hundred statues. "There's so many!"

"Past lives?" Sokka skeptically said. "Katara you believe in that nonsense?"

"It's true" Katara declared. "When the Avatar dies, they're reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle."

"This is ridiculous" Azula said. "What sense does it make to have to start over with each new Avatar cycle?"

"I think it helps bring different points of view for each lifespan" Aang said. "I was told that not only does the Avatar shape the world into what it could be the world shapes the Avatar into who they are."

The teenagers stood there and stared at Aang for the wisdom he spoke of.

"Right…" Sokka said skeptically.

Aang walked down the line and stared at a statue of an elderly man from the Fire Nation. There was only one statute to his flank, indicating that he was the last Avatar before Aang.

"Aang?" Katara said. He gave her no response, so she said in a louder voice, "Aang snap out of it."

"Uh?" he said in a dazed state.

"Who is this?" Katara asked.

"That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me" he said.

"He's… from the Fire Nation" Zuko said as he stared at the statue of Roku. For some reason Zuko felt he knows Roku somehow.

"You okay buddy?" Sokka asked when he noticed that Zuko seemed a bit off.

"I don't know" Zuko answered. "I feel like I know him too."

"What you're an Avatar too?" Sokka said, becoming annoyed by all this Avatar nonsense.

"No it's not that" Zuko said before turning to Azula. "Does he seem familiar to you too?"

Azula looked hard at the statue and felt a wave of discomfort wash over her like a cold blanket. She crossed her arms to looked skeptical, but she was trying to get warmth from them.

"I don't know if he's familiar to me" Azula said. "But I don't like it in here." She turned to leave the large room when she spotted a large shadow approaching the door.

Her instincts took over and she mentally prepared herself for a fight.

"We've got company!" she whispered.

Sokka turned quickly and spotted the shadow too. "Everyone hide!" he whispered.

Everyone complied and took cover behind the statues.

"It must be a Fire Nation soldier" Sokka said. "I _knew _they were still here."

"Stop making noises!" Azula reprimanded quietly.

"You're making noises!" Sokka replied.

Everyone shushed him, to which he became quite as the shadow bearer came closer and closer.

When whoever it was became close enough, the group sprung into the open…

…to spot a small lemur with wide green eyes and an innocent expression stared at them.

"Lemur!" Aang thrillingly said.

"Dinner…" Sokka said while salivating.

"A cozy hat…" Azula said, still feeling cold because of earlier.

"Don't listen to them!" Aang said. "You're going to be my new pet."

"Not if I get if first!" Sokka shouted before taking off after the lemur, with Aang and Azula following.

"You're too slow!" Azula shouted at Sokka before taking the lead.

Seeing the three large animals chase him, the lemur hisses and takes off flying the way it came. Azula used her firebending to propel herself forward, but she lost her lead when Aang formed what he called an air scooter and quickly took the lead after the lemur. The lemur led them down a corridor and onto a balcony, diving down alongside the temple wall with Aang on his tail. Azula stopped before the guardrail with Sokka right behind her, both staring in amazement and frustration that Aang will catch the lemur.

The lemur landed on the ground, where Aang came flying down but misses him. The lemur took off running into a decaying tent.

"Hey!" Aang said. "Come back!"

Aang followed the lemur into the tent. "Come on out little lemur. I won't let the hungry guy and hat girl hurt you."

Aang began to notice the discarded uniforms around the tent. He approached them and noticed each of them had skeleton remains in them.

"Firebenders?" he said when realized which nation they were from. "They _were _here?"

In the back of the tent sat an airbending monk with a distinctive necklace…

The same necklace that Monk Gyatso wore.

"Gyatso…" Aang said before collapsing to his knees devastated.

Sokka pulled back the tent flap and walked in with Azula.

"Aang we weren't going to really hurt the lemur okay?" he said.

"Yeah" Azula agreed to save face. "I just wanted to cuddle with it" she said half-heartedly.

Their attitude changed quickly when they noticed all the skeletons scattered around the tents.

"Oh man…" Sokka said in shock. As mentally prepared as she was, even Azula was taken aback by the sight.

"Come on Aang" Sokka said gently before placing a hand on Aang's shoulder. "Let's get you out of here."

"Yeah" Azula said, guilt stinging at her heart. "You don't need to keep looking at this."

Without any warning, Aang's eyes and tattoos begin to glow, causing air to begin rushing in a violent circle. Sokka and Azula are blown back but Sokka grabs onto a rock and pulls Azula down next to him.

"Well this blows!" Sokka shouted.

"Really?!" Azula shouted back. "Bad puns right now?!"

Back in the Temple Sanctuary, Katara and Zuko were examining the statues, trying to figure out more information about each Avatar, though it was in vain because there was no text whatsoever.

"Where do they keep information on which Avatar is who and what they did in their life?" Zuko asked.

"I don't know" Katara said. "Maybe Aang can-"

She did not finish her sentence because one of the statues eyes began to glow. She and Zuko stared in surprise as more and more of the statues began to glow.

"Aang!" Katara shouted before taking off out of the sanctuary with Zuko right behind her.

"Aang!" Sokka shouted. "Snap out of it!" Azula hung on to the rock with Sokka but lost her grip and crashed into another rock and soon it felt like she was about to be blown away off the mountain…

Then she felt hands pull her down and hold on to her. She noticed it was Zuko who saved her.

_Great, now I will not hear the end of this _she thought to herself.

"What happened?!" Katara shouted.

"He found out firebenders killed Gyatso!" Sokka answered.

"Oh no" Katara said horrified. "It's his Avatar Spirit! He must have triggered it somehow! I'm gonna try and calm him down!"

"Well do it quick!" Zuko shouted as he crawled towards Sokka with Azula wrapped around him. "The longer I have to hang onto to Azula the more likely she'll kill me for it!"

"Then you better hope Aang blows us off the mountain Dum-Dum!" Azula shouted back at him sarcastically.

Katara crawled towards Aang, as his energy sphere grew more powerful and rose higher into the air.

Then he spotted Zuko and Azula, and a sudden powerful urge took over him…

He spotted the old man when he entered the tent. From what Mongke remembered, Iroh was a physically fit and highly capable strategist, and had a deep love for tea.

From Mongke saw, the general was not as physically fit from years ago and appeared to have a greater love of tea if that was possible. Mongke also made the assumption that the man's age was getting to him and was not as sharp as he used to be.

"Colonel Mongke" Iroh said after sipping his tea. "It is a pleasure to see you and your Rough Rhinos again" he finished with mild sarcasm.

"I see your time away from the battlefield has not dulled your eyesight" Mongke retorted.

"Oh if anything my sight has improved over the years" Iroh replied cryptically.

Mongke's brow furrowed in confusion and distrust. "How does someone's eyes improve as they get older?"

"I was not referring to my eyes Colonel" Iroh cryptically said before sipping his tea.

Mongke huffed in annoyance to the general's cryptic words. He certainly has changed over the years. Mongke sat before the low table, his men flanking him. Zhao walked over to a large map of the world, where several symbols indicating both Fire Nation Army and Naval units assigned to different battlefronts. Zhao explained in detail what each unit was doing and how it could achieve its objectives.

"And by the year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be ours and the war will be over" Zhao concluded in his briefing.

"It seems you left out your role in this endeavor Zhao" Mongke said. "Planning on sitting this war out like a coward?"

"On the contrary" Zhao said unfazed by Mongke's harsh remark. "I have my own strategy in development on how to claim victory in this war. One that targets the Northern Water Tribe."

A thought occurred to Mongke and he mentally cursed himself for it. The Avatar boy is a master airbender and needed to master the other elements. Since water was the element for him to learn next, it made sense that he and his friends would attempt to make their way to the Northern Water Tribe through the Earth Kingdom.

"Perhaps you should focus your efforts on the Earth Kingdom first" Mongke suggested. "They have been considered the greater enemy for a long time."

"True" Zhao said before he sat next to Iroh. "But if I would succeed in the north, the Earth King would likely lose the will to fight on and surrender to the Fire Lord." Mongke nodded in response before sipping more of his tea, not savoring the flavor and much preferring alcohol.

"And what of you?" Zhao continued. "I heard that you are looking for the Fire Lord's wife and children."

Iroh was not paying attention to Zhao's monolog on strategy and victory, but he did start paying attention to this new line of conversation. He desperately needed to know any information regarding Zuko.

"We are, but it's proving to be a waste of time" Mongke replied. Iroh rose and eyebrow, believing that Mongke was lying. "She and the kids must be dead."

"I see" Zhao replied. "Why haven't you returned and reported this to the Fire Lord?"

"We've tried to report our suspicions to the Fire Lord, but he is quite insistent that we found solid proof that they're dead" Mongke lied. In reality he and his men have not sent word to the Fire Lord about their recent discovery of the children and the Avatar. Mongke did this intentionally to prevent the communication from being intercepted and word getting out that the Avatar had returned. Mongke wanted the reward for his capture all to himself.

"Surely there must be more to this mystery than you realize" Zhao said.

"The last bit of information we've found is from a civilian captain who was an old friend of Ursa" Mongke said. "He told us he took them south and set them to sea in a small boat. I guess the tides were too much for her and they all drowned."

Iroh began to become impatient at Mongke's reluctance to answer the commander's questions. The general knew Mongke from years ago and was not one to hold back information on the success of his missions. If he was withholding information now, it means he is covering up something.

And that means he knows _exactly _what happened to Zuko.

"Commander," a young lieutenant said as he entered the tent. "We've interrogated the crew as you ordered. They have confirmed that Colonel Mongke had the Fire Lord's children in custody."

_I knew it_ Iroh thought to himself.

Mongke growled at the lieutenant, who remained unfazed by the colonel's unspoken threat. Mongke continued to fume in rage that one of his crew was weak enough to break under interrogation. His men next to him shuffled uncomfortably, knowing they should have suggested to stay behind and monitor the crew.

"And there's more Commander" the lieutenant continued. "The crew also confirmed they escaped with the help of an airbending boy, who later revealed himself as the Avatar."

Both Iroh and Zhao reacted with shock that the Avatar is still somehow alive and is only a child.

"So the Avatar is allied with the Fire Lord's children?" Iroh asked the lieutenant.

"It appears so sir" the lieutenant answered. "Along with a waterbender and a warrior from the Southern Water Tribe."

Mongke stood up abruptly and stormed out of the tent with his men close behind. Iroh finished the rest of his tea and stood up far more gracefully than Mongke or his men.

"I believe this is where I take my leave commander" he said as he made his way to the tent flap.

"Going after the Avatar yourself?" Zhao asked.

"I am far more interested in reuniting with my nephew than that" Iroh said before departing to his ship.

Zhao did not take Iroh entirely for his word, but it made no difference since he was a competitor all the same.

"Let's get this piece of shit underway!" Mongke shouted. "NOW!"

The crew scurried to their stations, knowing one of their own had betrayed the vicious colonel and it was wise to do their job quickly and efficiently to appease him, if at all possible.

"Ogodei" Mongke said grimly.

"Sir?" Ogodei replied.

"Find the fucker who broke under questioning and make an example of him" Mongke commanded.

Ogodei smiled viciously. "With pleasure sir."

Aang- or whatever force controlled Aang- stared down at Zuko and Azula. Zuko stopped crawling and stared back, fear forming in the pit of his stomach. Even Azula was unnerved by Aang's sight.

"Why is he-?" Azula shouted.

She got her answer when Aang raised one of his arms in a threatening manner. Katara looked back between Aang and the firebending siblings, where horror filled her heart as she realized what was happening.

"AANG!" she shouted at the top of her lungs "Please, don't do it!"

Aang's arm shot forward in a bending gesture, causing Zuko to close his eyes while Azula stared back in acceptance and defiance...

But nothing struck them.

Azula stared at Aang as he hovered in the air.

"Are we dead?" Zuko asked with his eyes still closed.

"No Dum-Dum, we're not dead" Azula growled at him. "Not yet at least." Zuko gulped hard.

Inside Aang's mind, a conflict of sorts was being waged. He fought back against the force with all the energy he had.

Then suddenly, he did not feel alone in this struggle. He did not understand why another force- or forces- was helping him, but he was grateful all the same.

Several disembodied voices echoed in his mind. He tried to understand what they were saying, but he could not make out all of them entirely.

"They… descendants… of… in!" a female voice shouted. "They… pay for… crimes!"

"No" a male voice answered. "They… were not… enced by… So… or his… ons."

"They… help Aang" a different female voice echoed. "This… not just…vengeance."

"I will no… let ha… come to my… dren" another male, this one familiar to Aang somehow, said. "…justice, not vengeance."

Suddenly, Aang began to gain control of himself and awareness of his surroundings.

"Aang!" Katara shouted. "I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. Sokka and I lost our mother years ago and we understand how painful that is" she said before swallowing in an attempt to hold back from crying. "Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you have a new family now. Azula, Sokka, Zuko and I, we're your family now."

Aang slowly lowered himself to the ground, the air calming down with him. Katara and Sokka walked over to him and stood by his side.

"We're not going to let anything happen you Aang" Sokka said gently. "Promise."

Katara took one of Aang's hands, causing the glow in his eyes and tattoos to disappear. He collapsed into Katara's arm and she held him tightly. He breathed out in grief and exhaustion.

"I'm sorry" he said.

"It's okay" Katara said gently. "It wasn't your fault."

"But all of you were right" Aang said. "If the firebenders found this temple, they must have found the others too. I really _am _the last airbender."

Zuko and Azula approached Aang cautiously, unsure if he would suddenly attack them. Aang looked at them with a guilty look and stood up to face them.

"I'm really sorry for trying to attack you two" Aang said apologetically. "I-I think my past lives took control of me."

Azula furrowed her brow in skepticism. "How would they do that? How would you know they did that?"

"I'm not sure how they did it, but I know it was them. Or at least some of them" Aang said thoughtfully.

"Some of them?" Zuko asked.

"There were voices arguing in my head" Aang replied. "I think some of my past lives wanted you two to pay for what your ancestors have done in the past one hundred years."

"You're kidding" Zuko said in horror.

"We had nothing to do with any of that" Azula said bitterly.

"I know" Aang said. "And I think most of my past lives know that too. That's why I- or we, I should say-didn't attack you."

"But why?" Azula said.

"Because…" Aang began, remembering what the familiar voice said to him, "justice, not vengeance."

Azula and Zuko looked away from Aang, understanding what he said and what he must achieve, and that they must help him. While they still had loyalty to the Fire Nation, they hated how they continued to wage their war, causing much destruction to the world. Worse yet, they caused Hakoda, a man they admired and loved, to leave them to fight in this war.

And for all they know, they will never see him again if this war dragged on for too long.

"It's okay" Zuko said in a forgiving tone before placing a hand on Aang's shoulder. "You have a lot to do, and we're going to help you." He turned towards Azula. "Right Azula?"

Every instinct shouted at Azula to say yes, she will help Aang do whatever it took to bring her nation of birth to a place where it was honorable and proud, not bloodthirsty, and greedy.

But her pride could not quite put it in those words.

"Well since I have nothing better to do" she said nonchalantly, "why not?" she finished with a smile.

Aang smiled that he had all of his friends stand by his side, despite his outburst.

He returned to look upon Roku's stature, hoping to talk to him after what happened.

"Everything's packed" Katara said as she walked up to him. "Or it should be packed by now; Azula and Sokka were arguing about how it should be done when I came to look for you."

"I'm sure it'll get done" Aang said. He continued to stare at Roku, hoping he would come and talk to Aang at the last minute. Nothing happened.

"How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang said.

"I know you'll find a way" Katara said.

Aang sighed. "I hope so."

They returned to the others, where Sokka and Azula were still arguing on how secured their gear was on Appa's saddle.

"If a big gust of wind comes along," Azula said, "then it's all going to go flying off."

"Hey, this is how my dad taught me to tie knots" Sokka said. "He's the best at it."

"Oh I know" Azula agreed. "But you suck at it." She went over to the gear and quickly retied everything before Sokka could do anything.

"Oh for crying-!" he began before noticing the same lemur standing next to his feet, holding several fruits in his arms.

"Oh," Sokka said awkwardly, "hey little guy."

The lemur deposited the fruits at Sokka's feet before taking off and jumping onto Aang's shoulders for protection. Aang laughed at how the lemur was trying to save itself by bribing Sokka. Sokka smiled with greed and began gorging on the food, despite it not being meat.

"Looks like you made a new friend Sokka" he said.

"Can't talk" Sokka said while stuffing himself silly. "Must eat."

"Hey," Azula shouted, "save some for the rest of us you glutton!"

Suddenly, the lemur jumped off and flew over to a tree. He picked off a peach and flew over to Azula. She took it gladly and began to eat it. The lemur returned to Aang, who thought of a name for him.

"I think Momo is a good name for you buddy" he said while scratching his ear. Momo chirped in what Aang believed was approval. "Welcome to the family."

Aang turned around to take one last look at the Southern Air Temple.

"You, me and Appa," Aang said to Momo, "are all that's left of this place. We have to stick together for now on." After a few moments, Aang mounted Appa and directed him to take off, leaving their home behind them, unsure when they would return.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Colonel Mongke sat at his desks, with maps and reports scattered across it, seeing where the Avatar boy and his friends could potentially go. While it was clear to Mongke that the kids' ultimate destination was the North Pole, he knew they could not do it in a single day. They would have to make several stops at various villages or major terrain features along the way, and Mongke was deciding, if he were in their position, which ones he would pass through. A good commander puts himself in his enemies' position to make an educated guess as to what they are planning.

But as Mongke thought where he would go on the back of a flying bison, he realized he could go _anywhere_ along the way to the North Pole. He also realized he had no idea of the capabilities of the bison.

"How far can that fucking beast of burden fly before it became tired and needed to rest?" Mongke shouted after slamming a fist on his desk. The more thought he gave it, he realized that the Avatar and his friends could already be halfway to the North Pole by now.

A knock resounded on his hatch. "Enter" Mongke said, hoping it was good news.

Kahchi entered the colonel's wardroom and stood at attention before the desk.

"At ease Kahchi" Mongke ordered, to which Kahchi stood with his hands behind his back, feet shoulder width apart at an angle. "Do you have an intelligence report on the Avatar and those brats?"

"Afraid not sir" Kahchi said in an even voice. While he served with Mongke the longest and was essentially his right hand man, that does not mean he was safe from the colonel's wrath altogether.

Mongke scowled at Kahchi. "Explain" he growled.

Kahchi laid a map of the southern islands on the desk, where it showed several reported sightings of the Avatar all over the place.

"Do these shitheads realize who we're looking for?" Mongke said in frustration.

"Most of the reports are inconclusive, sir" Kahchi said. "At most it was brief sightings according to the reports, or they confused the bison with another animal."

"It's like that damn boy is doing this on purpose!" Mongke shouted as he stood up and looked outside the viewport. "It's like he's a master of evasive maneuvers."

* * *

Sokka and Azula studied the map intensely, trying to figure out where they were going based off of the direction they were flying from the last land feature they saw. But without spotting any land features for the past few hours, they had no way to figure out where they were going now.

Naturally, that led them to argue with each other.

"We've been traveling northeast!" Sokka said while holding the compass. "So that means were going to _this _island." He pointed to a landmass on the map that said, 'Whale Tail Island'.

"Not if we're drifting away from it" Azula countered. "Besides, look at the size of it; we would've been there by now!"

Sokka grunted and looked at Aang. "Aang, when are we getting to Whale Tail Island?"

"Oh," Aang said with surprise, "we were supposed to go to Whale Tail Island?"

Azula glared at him. "You mean you _weren't_ planning on going to Whale Tail Island? Just where the hell are you taking us?"

Aang recoiled slightly from Azula's harsh language. "I'm taking us to Kyoshi Island where we can surf elephant koi. And you don't need to use harsh language; it disrupts your peace of mind."

"I'll give you a pieceof _my_ mind" Azula growled, frustrated at Aang's plan to delay them from arriving to the North Pole. She sat back against the rails of the saddle and stared out over the vast ocean with a scowl.

"Do you have any idea where Kyoshi Island is?" Sokka asked.

"Weeelll, I know it's near water…" Aang said with a guilty smile directed at Sokka.

"I guess we're getting close then" Sokka said flatly.

"Very close indeed" Azula added with sarcasm.

Aang shifted his attention towards Katara, who was busy sewing a hole in Sokka's pants. Zuko sat nearby sharpening one of his machetes. Aang felt he needed to impress Katara somehow to gain an advantage over Zuko in winning Katara.

"Momo," he said and held out his hand, "marbles please." Momo chirped a reply and scrambles into Aang's shirt to retrieve the marbles, placing them in his friend's hand after finding them.

"Hey Katara!" he said as he shifted towards her. "Check out this airbending trick!" Aang then proceeded to use his airbending to suspend the marbles between his hands and make them spin rapidly.

"That's great Aang" Katara said absentmindedly while still sewing.

Aang stopped doing his trick, crushed that she was not paying attention. "You're not even looking" he said dishearten.

Katara stops sewing and looked at Aang. "That's great!" she replied.

"But I'm not doing it right now" he said more dishearten.

"Stop bugging her, airhead" Sokka said while waving his hand dismissively. "You need to give girls space when sewing."

"What does being a girl have to do with sewing?" Katara asked with a raised eyebrow and an annoyed expression. Azula also gave Sokka a mean look while Zuko groaned that his best friend was being stupid again.

"Simple," Sokka started, "girls are better at fixing pants than guys, and guys are better at hunting and fighting and stuff like that. It's just the natural order of things."

With exaggerated happiness, Katara shouted, "All done with your pants! And look at what a great job I did!" She tossed the pants at Sokka, who caught it with his head. He pulled them off and examined them, finding that the hole was still in it.

"Wait!" he exclaimed. "I was just kidding! I can't wear these with this big hole in it!" He stuck his hand through the hole to emphasize his point.

"Then why don't you fix it yourself you manly man" Azula said, coating the last part of that statement with sarcasm.

"Really?!" Sokka squealed. "I don't know how to sew!"

"Then maybe we should learn" Zuko suggested.

Sokka looked at his best friend indignant. "How can you say that?"

"For practical reasons" Zuko said with a shrug. "Who knows when we need to sew and no one's around who knows how to do it. I think it would be a useful skill to have, especially if we have to close a wound."

Sokka stared blankly at Zuko, while Azula and Katara looked at him both impressed and pleased by his willingness to learn what Sokka considered an unmanly skill.

"Sokka, give Zuko your pants" Katara ordered. Azula snorted at how Katara said that.

Sokka and Zuko both grimaced at how Katara worded that statement, wondering if she hinting at something or teasing him.

"Actually, I'll learn how to sew too" he said sheepishly. He grabbed Katara's sewing kit and listened intently as she explained how it is done, while Zuko paid close attention.

Aang looked forward over the ocean with a downcast expression, thinking that Zuko was winning the race for Katara's attention.

But soon Aang's spirits were lifted when he spotted Kyoshi Island and he smiled at the opportunity to really impressed Katara by surfing elephant koi.

_There's no_ _way Zuko can compete with that _he thought to himself.

"There it is!" Aang shouted with glee. "Kyoshi Island!"

Aang quickly brought Appa down for a landing while the teenagers had mixed reactions to seeing the island and the idea of landing there for a time. Katara were rather impressed by the natural beauty of the island, having never seeing anything quite like this living in a land of ice and snow. Zuko sighed as he recalled comparable beauty from his time in the Fire Nation, finding himself that he actually missed _something _from a place that brought him some rather unpleasant thoughts.

Sokka and Azula, on the other hand, were not so pleased to land here just so Aang can have some fun.

"We just made a pit stop yesterday" Sokka complained after dismounting Appa. "Shouldn't we get at least a few more hours of flying in before we make camp?"

"He's right" Katara agreed with her brother, a rather rare occurrence. "At this rate, we won't get to the North Pole until spring."

"Assuming we get there at all" Azula added, her voice full of frustration.

"As nice as this place is," Zuko said as he admired the cherry trees, "we really should cover more distance. Who knows are far the Rhinos are behind us."

"But Appa's tired already" Aang said, "aren't' you boy?" Appa groaned loudly, as if saying he was not all that tired. "I _said _aren't you boy?" Aang asked as he elbowed Appa, who yawns on cue to feign tiredness.

"Yeah, that was _really_ convincing" Sokka sarcastically said.

"So convincing," Azula added with her own sarcasm, "it's like he's tired all the time."

"But still, it's hard to argue with a ten ton magical monster" Sokka pointed out. Azula rolled her eyes in annoyance, still frustrated by the situation.

As he was looking over the sea, Aang gasped and pointed out over the water. "LOOK!" he shouted with a smile. The teenagers looked where he was pointing and saw an elephant koi jump out of the water. "That's why we're here…" Aang said as he stripped down to his underwear. "…elephant koi. And _I'm_ going to ride it. Katara you've gotta watch me!" Aang jumped into the water, shocked by the feeling of the water against his skin. "COLD!" he shouted.

The teenagers watched wryly, all worried that Aang would get himself hurt. They all looked at each other, wondering what they should do while Sokka made the universal 'he's crazy' gesture with his hand.

Aang swam out into the deeper waters of the bay and dives under. Then an elephant koi leaped out of the water and skimmed the top of it, all the while Aang hung on its fin to ride it. The elephant koi dives down into the water with Aang hanging on, but soon reemerges with Aang.

Now Katara was watching Aang with excitement, while Zuko was smiling at the idea of surfing the koi fish but was unsure how he would do it. Momo jumped up and down in excitement while Appa simply went to look for something to eat. Sokka was impressed by Aang's daring attitude but Azula was annoyed that the Avatar was wasting precious time. Still, she had to admit to herself that surfing elephant koi was rather impressive.

"Woo!" Katara shouted while waving to Aang to cheer him on.

"Yeaaaah! Woohoo!" Aang shouted, ecstatic at riding elephant koi after a long time. He was happy to see they still thrived after he was gone for a hundred years.

"He looks pretty good out there" Katara said.

"Are you kidding?" Azula questioned. "The fish is doing all the work."

"Agreed" Sokka added. "He's just hanging on its fin."

"Still, it take some balls to ride like that" Zuko stated.

Katara was about to state that Aang was enjoying himself either way, but then noticed that Appa was about to eat some questionable looking vegetation. "No Appa!" she reprimanded. "_Don't _eat that!" She ran off to stop Appa while the others continued to watch Aang.

Aang turned his head to look to see Katara's expression, but his huge grin turned into a disappointed frown as he watched her run off, no longer watching him. "Aww, man…" he said, feeling like no matter what he did, Katara would never be impressed by him.

But as he wallowed in his thoughts, Aang did not noticed as several elephant koi swam away in panic as a giant shadow appeared below the koi fish he was riding.

"There's something in the water!" Sokka shouted when he spot it.

"And it looks huge!" Zuko added.

"Get out of there kid!" Azula shouted to Aang.

Katara, finished after reprimanding Appa for trying to eat what he should not, heard the commotion, and ran back to the group. "What's wrong?" she asked, worried that Aang was in real danger.

"Aang's in trouble" Sokka stated. "Aang!"

The teenagers continued to shout to Aang, trying to tell him he was in danger and he should get back to shore right away.

As Aang passed the beach again, he waved back at the group with a smile, pleased that Katara was watching him but in reality, he misinterpreted their frantic gestures for cheering.

Suddenly, the elephant koi he rode bucked and was pulled under the water, causing Aang to fly headlong into the bay. He returned to the surface of the water and spits out what he caught in his mouth. As he gasped in an attempt to catch his breath, a giant dark fin emerged from the water, shadowing Aang and making him stare at it in dread. He screamed in panic and began running back to the shore, but the giant fin gains on him. Aang, in a panic induced state, used his airbending to propel himself towards the shore, where he crashed headlong into Sokka and Zuko, shoving them back to the tree line and landing in a heap. The giant fin turned away from the shore and disappeared beneath the waves. Katara and Azula run up to them, where Aang quickly got of Sokka and Zuko and began putting his clothes back on.

"Okay," Zuko said as he rubbed his head, "what the hell was that thing?"

"No idea" Aang said as he finished getting dressed.

"Well," Sokka said as he got up, "let's not stick around to find out. Time to hit the road."

"You do know we're flying in the sky," Azula pointed out, "rather than walking right?"

"Whatev-AHHH!" Sokka shouted as a green clad warrior descended on him and pinned him to the ground. Zuko turned to see what happened but was tripped and landed hard on his forehead then pinned to the ground as well. Katara felt something brush past her, causing her to turn around to have her parka's hood pulled over her head. Momo screeched and attempted to fly way but was caught in a small sack and trapped within it by drawstrings.

Azula, on the other hand, managed to react and landed two hard blows on a warrior in what appeared to be a green uniform with black armor. But as she was about to deliver a hard round house kick, she lost her balance on her support leg. She tried to spin in the air to recover but felt two warriors pull her down and pin her to the ground as she was tied up and blindfolded.

Azula soon joined the others, hogtied and blindfolder like her, being dragged to somewhere.

"Or we could stay awhile…" Sokka pointed out.

"Nice of you to point out" Azula growled.

The five of them were soon tied to a poll and heard an old man say, "You five have some explaining to do."

"And if you don't answer all of our questions," a young woman said, "we're throwing back into the water with the unagi."

"Show yourselves, cowards!" Sokka shouted in anger. His and the other's blindfolds were removed, revealing eight teenage girls in green uniforms and black armor. Their faces were painted white with red markings around their eyes. They carried fans in their waistbands with katanas hanging on their hips.

"Who are you?" Sokka demanded. "Where are the men who ambushed us?"

"There were no men" one of the warriors replied dangerously. She wore a more ornament headpiece then the others. She had red-brown hair with surprising purple eyes. Her commanding attitude made Azula think she was the leader. "_We _ambushed you. Now tell us, who are you and what are you doing on our island?" the leader demanded.

Sokka laughed in disbelief. "Wait a second, there's no way a bunch of girls took us down."

"Sokka" Zuko warned. "Maybe you should show some respect." Zuko did not share Sokka's sexist attitude and was rather impressed by the female warriors.

"Do you really think women are _that _incapable when it comes to fighting Sucker?" Azula hissed at him, getting really tired of his sexist attitude, especially as of late.

"Like I said before," Sokka replied, "it's men that are meant to be warriors, not women."

"All of you shut up" the lead warrior replied. She grabbed Sokka by his collar, shook him harshly, and stared at him intensely. "I think the unagi's gonna eat well tonight."

"No!" Katara shouted in plea. "Don't hurt him! He didn't mean it. My brother is just an idiot sometimes."

"More like _all_ the time" Azula countered.

"It's my fault we're here, and I am sorry for that" Aang said. "I just wanted to ride the elephant koi."

"How do we know you're not Fire Nation spies?" the old man pointed at Aang accusingly. "Kyoshi Island has stayed out of the war so far. And we intend to keep that way!"

"But I know Kyoshi!" Aang replied.

The old man barked a laugh. "How could you possibly know her? Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred year ago. She's been dead for centuries."

"I know her because _I'm _the Avatar" Aang said with conviction. The old man's expression changed to shock and disbelief. The lead warrior though, scowled in anger and approached Aang.

"That's impossible!" the lead warrior said while shaking her fist at him. "The last Avatar was an airbender who disappeared a hundred years ago.

"That's me!" Aang said with a wide grin.

"Throw the imposter and his friends to the unagi!" the old man commanded. The warriors brandished their weapons and approached the group cautiously. Aang, Katara and Zuko grimaced in fear while Azula and Sokka scowled in anger and defiance.

"Aang…" Katara said tersely, "do some airbending…"

Aang broke his bonds and used airbending propel himself into the air, then slowly lowers himself to the ground, air gusting and blowing as a sure sign that he _is _an airbender… and the Avatar.

"It's true…" the old man said in shock, "you _are _the Avatar."

After landing on the ground, Aang reached into his shirt and pulled something out.

"Now… check _this _out!" he said before grinning like a fool and doing his airbending marble trick.

Katara and Zuko breathed out in relief while Sokka stared at Aang in confusion as to why he would use his dumb trick to prove he is an airbender.

Meanwhile, Azula watched the lead warrior carefully, having an off putting feeling about her.

Why Azula was having this feeling was unclear to her. But she knew she could not trust this warrior.

After untying the Avatar and his allies, the green clad warriors bowed deeply towards Aang.

"We deeply apologize for our actions Avatar" the leader said. "We meant no disrespect."

"It's quite alright" Aang said with an awkward grin. "You were defending your home and didn't know who we were."

"If it's all the same, please accept our apology, Avatar" the leader replied.

"Uh, okay" Aang said. "But please you don't have to call me Avatar. I rather you call me Aang."

The leader and her warriors stood upright. "Very well, Avatar Aang" the leader said.

"I rather you just call me Aang" he replied with a friendly smile. "And these are my friends, Katara, Sokka, Zuko and Azula" he said while gesturing to each person respectfully.

"Hi" Katara said with a polite smile. Zuko waved somewhat awkwardly, both impressed and enamored by the warrior leader. He could not explain it but there was something about her that told him she was an honorable individual, matched by her grace and skill in combat. In contrast, Sokka grunted, still unconvinced that these warriors were comparable to those from the Southern Water Tribe, or anywhere else for that matter. Azula crossed her arms and simply nodded in their direction, not wanting to be their enemy but not wanting to be their friend either.

"It's an honor to meet all of you" the leader said with a friendly smile. "My name is Suki, and these are my Kyoshi Warriors, the protectors of this island."

"And very good ones at that" Zuko said without much thought. Sokka looked at him indignant, not believing that his best friend was impressed by these warriors.

"Well, thank you" Suki said with slight bashfulness. She wondered why such a boy was dressed in Water Tribe clothing when he had pale skin and gold-brownish eyes. Suki also looked Azula and noted she also had pale skin and brighter golden eyes but dressed in blue. It was as if they were _not _from the Water Tribe…

"We should head into the village" Suki said. "Our village leader Oyagi, the old gentlemen from earlier, went ahead to tell the people that the Avatar has returned; they're going to be thrilled to hear that." Suki and her warriors escorted the group into the village, where word quickly spread that the Avatar has returned and was on Kyoshi Island.

In fact, the word spread so fast that it reached a certain colonel's ears…

"The Avatar is on Kyoshi Island?" Mongke shouted. "Is this report reliable?"

"It's all hearsay, sir" Vachir said. "It's possible that the Avatar was there and moved on, or someone got their islands mixed up."

"Either way, it's the only lead we have" Mongke said. "Get the ship ready! We're going to Kyoshi Island."

* * *

After decades of hope diminished, the residents of Kyoshi Island left the paint of their namesake's statue to fade, believing her spirit to be gone after the Avatar disappeared.

But with Aang's arrival, the villagers' hope was renewed, as evident by the few talented artist in the village who tended to Kyoshi's statue, applying new paint over the faded.

And they furthered their gratitude by extending asylum to Aang and his friends. They were given temporary residence at an inn and given all the food they could eat.

"All right!" Aang squealed as he eyed the dishes served. "Dessert for breakfast!" He grabbed a sweet bun and stuffed his mouth full before saying, "These people know sure know how to treat an Avatar!"

"Could you not talk with your mouth full?" Azula said in disgust as she worked through a dish of smoked chicken-pig. After years down in the Southern Water Tribe, she found that she missed food that was not from the icy lands or water.

Aang ignored her as he finished the sweet bun with delight, picked up another sweet bun, and held it out in front of Katara. "Katara, you have to try these!"

"Well, maybe just a bite…" she said before taking it.

Aang smiled in delight as she took it, where she smiled in approval to how sweet the bun was. Aang looked over and saw Sokka sulking in the corner of the room.

"Sokka," Aang called out, "what's your problem? EAT!"

"Not hungry" he grumbled.

"But you're _always_ hungry!" Aang said.

"Even when he's not, he still eats" Azula teased with a slight smirk.

"He's just upset because a bunch of _girls_ kicked his butt yesterday" Katara added.

Sokka scowled at his sister. "They snuck up on me!" he squealed.

"Right" Katara said smugly. "And _then_ they kicked your butt."

"Quite quickly I might add" Azula pointed out with larger smirk. She always liked tormenting Sokka, but now she was loving it. "Guess he's not as good of a warrior as he thought." Sokka growled at her, only causing Azula to smirk maliciously back at him.

"Sokka," Zuko said sternly, "just admit they're better warriors and snuck up on us because they're well trained."

"Sneak attacks _don't _count!" Sokka said as he angrily got up. He paced around the room, grumbling to himself about showing the Kyoshi Warriors what a real warrior is and how he was not afraid of any girls. Before he left, he grabbed several food items from the table and marched off, asking who the warriors think they are and then stating how tasty the sweets were.

"You seem to be taking the idea of being beaten up by a bunch of girls pretty well Zuzu" Azula pointed out. "Are you some type of masochist who enjoys being beaten and humiliated by women?" Katara snickered at Azula's teasing while Aang grimaced.

Zuko huffed in frustration. "No, I just believe women can be just as brave and capable as men. Just look at our moms: they bravely defied men and did what they knew was right."

Katara looked down at the table, gaining a sad expression at remembering the day her mother died. From what she could remember, it sounded like the Fire Nation soldier was demanding where the last waterbender was in the Southern Water Tribe. And since it was Katara who lived and her mother who died, it was obvious to the waterbender that her mother was protecting _her _by lying_._

Azula was also thinking of her own mother. Sure Azula held some resentment that Ursa took her away from a life of comfort and prestige, she did it because Ozai was dangerous as he was content with killing his own son and continued to wage this war, a war that threated to take Hakoda away from Azula. Yet it still hurt that she held on to this idea that maybe, just maybe, her father was not the man people say he was.

Azula realized that it sucked to have loyalty to two nations at war with each other.

Aang watched the teenagers' exchange of words, feeling uncomfortable by their expressions of sadness and anger.

"Well, we can agree that it's great here right?" he said in an attempt to cheer them up. "It's like they're giving us the royal treatment."

Katara snapped out of her depressing thoughts. "We shouldn't get too comfortable here. It's risky to stay in one place for too long."

"Yeah," Zuko agreed, "we should head out in the morning and start making some headway north."

"After we gather up enough supplies for six people" Azula pointed out.

"Don't you mean five?" Zuko asked.

"Mr. Glutton who just walked out of here can eat enough for two people, if not more" Azula replied. Zuko raised an eyebrow but quickly understood who she was referring to.

"I think we'll be fine staying here for a day or two" Aang said optimistically. "Besides, did you all see how happy I'm making this town? They're even cleaning up that statue in my honor!"

"Well, it's nice to see you excited about being the Avatar" Katara said with a smile. "I just hope it doesn't all go to your head."

"Come on Katara," Aang said, "you know me better than that. I'm just a simple monk." Aang stood up and walked over to the window to admire the scene. He then heard several young girls scream and cheer at him, fawning for his attention. He smiled widely and blushed, flattered by all the attention.

Katara, who heard the girls screaming and cheering, crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue in mild jealousy. Azula rolled her eyes in annoyance at the scene.

"I think all that attention _will _go to his head" she said to Katara, who groaned in response.

"I'm going to check on Sokka," Zuko said as he stood up, "make sure he isn't doing anything stupid."

"It would be a waste of time Zuzu," Azula stated, "Sucker is bond to do something stupid regardless of what we do." Zuko rolled his eyes and left the room in search of his best friend.

Zuko found Sokka pacing outside a small building. Zuko managed to catch a glimpse to the purpose of the building and saw Suki and her warriors training. They were moving rather slow, but their movements were precise and Zuko guessed they were focused on accuracy rather than speed.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked Sokka.

"Thinking about showing those girls what a real warriors is" he replied. He marched up to the building, with Zuko in tow, who groaned in exasperation.

"Sorry ladies!" Sokka said in a rather arrogant tone. The warriors looked at him with cautioned curiosity. "Didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson, but me and my buddy were just looking for a place to work out." He begins to stretch his body while Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that Sokka was biting off more than he can chew. Again.

"Well, you two are in the right place" Suki said with a slight smile. "Sorry about yesterday" she apologized sincerely. "I had no idea it was the Avatar and his friends we ambushed."

"It's all right" Sokka said with a flippantly attitude. "I mean, normally I'd hold a grudge but seeing you all are a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception" he finished as he rotated his shoulders. Zuko gritted his teeth to how Sokka was making an ass of himself.

"I should hope so" Suki replied with sarcasm. "A big strong man like you? We wouldn't stand a chance in a fair fight."

"True. But don't feel bad. After all, I'm the best warrior in my village" Sokka said proudly.

"Wow! Best warrior, huh? In your whole village?" Suki replied, falsely impressed by Sokka. "Maybe you'd be so kind to give us a demonstration."

"Oh… well… I mean… I…" Sokka said flustered, having second thoughts about confronting Suki. Zuko smirked in satisfaction, knowing this would be rather a humbling lesson for Sokka.

"Come on girls!" Suki said to her warriors, who were just as unimpressed as their leader. "Wouldn't you like him to show us some moves?" They all smirked and nodded at that, wanting to see the arrogant warrior put in his place.

"Well, it that's what you want, I'd be happy to" Sokka said with a slight smile. "All right, you stand right there. This may be a little tough but _try _to block me." He throws a punch towards Suki, who blocks with a rather deft thrust of her fan to his shoulder, looking disinterested and confident in her abilities. Zuko was rather impressed how little effort she had to put in to defend herself.

Sokka smile sheepishly while rubbing his shoulder. "Heh heh… good. Of course, I was going easy on you."

"Of course" Suki replied nonchalantly.

"Let's see you handle _this_!" Sokka lunged himself at Suki, who caught him under his leg and tossed him backwards. He landed at Zuko's feet, who stared down at him with a raised eyebrow. Sokka ignored him and angrily shouted, "That does it!" He lunged at Suki again, who grabs him by the arm, spun him around before throwing him to the ground, kneecap between his shoulder blades.

Suki and her warriors laughed at his folly. "Anything else you want to teach us?" Suki asked sarcastically. Sokka's face flushed in humiliation. As soon as Suki got off of him, he left the dojo with his head hung low.

Zuko watched his friend walk away, both embarrassed at his friend's actions and attitude, but also pleased that he learned a rather humble lesson.

He turned toward Suki and her warriors. "Sorry about Sokka's attitude" he began. "Where we lived, women traditionally took care of the home while the men defended the village and hunt for its food supply."

"And I take it you share the same attitude?" Suki asked with a raised eyebrow. She had the feeling Zuko did not, but she wanted to hear his answer.

"No of course not. I learned long ago that women can be just as capable and brave as men" Zuko said with sincerely.

"I see. It's refreshing to see despite growing up with him you didn't pick up on his beliefs" Suki said with a small but satisfied smile. But as she took his appearance in, she once again thought that despite the blue clothing he wore, his skin and eyes were not befitting of someone who was born in the Southern Water Tribe. Not only did Suki had Sokka and Katara as a reference, she had seen a few Southern Water Tribe traders over the years, and they looked nothing like Zuko.

It occurred to her that Zuko and his sister Azula could _not _have been born in the Southern Water Tribe.

"May I ask a personal question?" Suki said tactfully.

"Uh, sure, go ahead" Zuko said, rather intrigued that Suki would be rather forward with him.

"Why don't look like Sokka and Katara?" Suki asked. "You look very different from them."

Zuko's eyes widen at her question. He was unsure how to answer that without admitting he and Azula were in fact from the Fire Nation. And that would be nothing compared to explaining how he and Azula were the Fire Lord's children.

"Well… it's because me and Azula weren't really born in the Water Tribe" Zuko said vaguely. "We moved there with our mother when we were kids."

"Why did you moved there?" Suki asked, rather intrigued that someone would chose the icy tundra over warmer climates.

"It's a… complicated story" Zuko said, both embarrassed and hurt. He thought about lying but he was never good at it, so he decided that silence was a better option. For once he wished Azula was here to handle this situation.

"But where were you originally born?" Suki persisted with her questioning. "You don't look Earth Kingdom, and the Air Nomads have been gone for a hundred years. Unless…"

Zuko's eyes widen in fear and he thought about running. But he stubbornly held his ground, determined to face whatever Suki thought of him.

Suki's brow furrowed as she realized where exactly Zuko and Azula were from.

"You and your sister are from the Fire Nation" she growled. "You _are _spies!" She opened her fans in a threatening manner and her warriors followed suite.

"Wait!" Zuko pleaded with his hands up in a submissive gesture. "If we were really spies, the Avatar would have been captured by the Fire Nation by now! Well, he was but me and Azula helped him escape. And we're wanted by the Fire Nation too!"

"How are you two wanted by the Fire Nation?" Suki asked with a scowl.

Zuko let out a small breath of relief. Sure Azula would kill him at least twice for telling their story but felt that Suki had a right to know who he was.

"Like I said, it's a complicated story" Zuko said before taking a deep breath. "My sister and I are the children of Fire Lord Ozai." Suki and her warriors stared at him in shock, not expecting the Fire Lord's son and daughter to be _here_, in the Avatar's company no less. "And how we got here all started when our cousin Lu Ten died in battle…"

Aang spent a whole day with the young village girls, showing off his airbending, telling them of stories from a hundred years ago and even standing in a painting with them, though it was never completed because the artist became annoyed when more and more girls wanted to be with Aang in the painting.

"There she is girls" Aang said as they stood at the base of Kyoshi's statue when it was announced it was finished. "Me in a past life."

All the girls gave out a collective 'ooohhh' in amazement that Aang is the spiritual descendant of their island's heroine.

"You were pretty!" a young girl name Koko said.

Aang smiled at her before he noticed Katara in the marketplace, gathering food for their journey to the North Pole.

"Excuse me for a second, ladies" he said before walking over to Katara.

"Oh good!" she said when she noticed Aang. "Can you help me carry all of this back to the inn? It's a little heavy."

"Actually," Aang replied, "I can't right now."

Katara raised an irritated eyebrow. "What do you mean you can't?"

"I promised the girls that I'd give them a ride on Appa" he said. "Why don't you come with us? It'll be fun!"

Katara let out a breath in exasperation before picking through some vegetables. "Watching you show off for a bunch of girls does _not _sound like fun to me."

"Well, neither does carrying your basket" Aang countered.

"It's not my basket" Katara said, irritated that Aang was not seeing the bigger picture. "These supplies are for our trip. We told you, we have to leave Kyoshi soon."

"I don't want to leave Kyoshi yet" Aang pleaded. "I can't put my finger on it but there's something special about this place that I really like."

"What's taking so long Aangy?" Koko said irritated.

"Aangy…" Katara said flatly.

"Just a second Koko!" Aang shouted back.

"'Simple monk,' huh?" Katara said disappointed. "Azula was right, your Avatar status _did _go to your head."

"It didn't" Aang said defensively. "You know what I think? You just don't want to come along because you're _jealous_." He smirked in satisfaction, suspecting that Katara did like him and was annoyed that he stopped trying to gain her attention because he had other girls' attention.

"_Jealous_?" Katara sneered. "Of what?"

"Jealous that I'm getting attention from other girls" Aang said with a smirk.

"_That's_ ridiculous" Katara growled while harshly putting more vegetables into the basket.

"It _is _a little ridiculous," Aang said, "but I understand."

Katara looked at Aang with an angry look before walking away with her basket, getting more upset that he would not help her with it.

Aang watched her go, feeling satisfied that Katara was jealous but he also felt horrible for making her upset that way. Before he could think of a way to make it up to her, the group of young girls dragged him away giggling.

Sokka stomped around town, fuming in frustration that he was humiliated by a group of girls pretending to be warriors.

"Well, well," he heard a familiar but irritating voice say, "were you embarrassed by those warriors again?"

Sokka turned and spotted Azula leaning against a tree with her arms crossed.

"What do you want Azula?" he said with a scowl.

"I saw how that Suki kicked your butt. _Again_. When are you going to get it through that thick skull of yours that us women can be as capable as men when it comes to being fighters?"

"But you _can't_ be as good as us!" Sokka growled. "Men are stronger and tougher-!"

"You really think that strength and toughness are the only things that defined a warrior?" Azula asked with contempt. "Have you ever thought that bravery, skill and honor have more to do with being a warrior?"

"Well yes, but-" he began but was cut off by Azula as she marched up to him and pointed her index and middle fingers at him, her trademark way of firebending. Sokka gulped out of fear.

"Listen here you stupid, gluttonous oaf," she said dangerously, "women _can _be just as brave as men. Did you think I cowered behind Zuko and Aang when Mongke captured us? No I didn't! And don't even think of saying otherwise! My mother showed incredibly bravery by taking me and Zuko away from the most dangerous man in the whole world."

Sokka looked down at the ground in mild shame, never really thinking how Azula and Ursa showed courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

"And what about your mother?" Azula continued. "Did _she _show incredible bravery when she died?"

Azula's questions took Sokka aback and it felt like a punch to the gut. From what Katara can remember when she ran to find their mom, she overheard the Fire Nation soldier mention something about a waterbender.

It occurred to him that his mother died protecting Katara, by saying _she _was the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe.

"Well?" Azula said, drawing him out of his thoughts. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Sokka closed his eyes for a moment, shameful of his beliefs and actually felt freer for letting them go.

"You're right Azula" he said sincerely. "Women _can _be just as capable as men when it comes to being a warrior."

"You're not saying that just so I can stop yelling at you, are you?" she teased.

Sokka laughed, patted her on the head and ruffled her hair, making her finch slightly. "No of course not" he said before walking away.

"Where are you going?" she asked as she fixed her hair back to perfection.

"I'm going to apologize to Suki" he said with clarity.

Azula was glad that Sokka had his back to her, for she stared at him in annoyance for wanting to go see that Suki. She huffed as she felt her chest feel a bit hallow because of…

_Nope. I am _not _going down that road_ she thought to herself in an attempt to keep whatever reason she felt about Sokka and Suki interacting with each other.

But that did not help that hallow feeling in her chest go away.

"After Lu Ten was killed," Zuko continued, "it effectively ended my Uncle Iroh's bloodline."

"Iroh…" Suki said. "Isn't he the famed Dragon of the West?"

"That's right" Zuko confirmed. "He led the siege of Ba Sing Se but abandoned it out of despair over Lu Ten. Not long after receiving the news, my father Ozai requested an audience with his father, Fire Lord Azulon. Originally me and Azula weren't allowed to hear what our father had to say to him, but we hid behind some large curtains. We overheard our father explained that since Iroh's bloodline ended, _he _should be made the Crown Prince."

"And I guess Azulon didn't take it well, right?" Suki asked. She folded her fans after seeing Zuko take a lotus position on the floor, guessing he only wanted to explain himself and had no desire to fight.

"He did not" Zuko said. "My grandfather went into a rage and told my father that since he wanted to cause more pain to Iroh who just lost his only son, that _his _punishment had scarcely began. I didn't hear the punishment, because I felt I heard too much and ran away, but I later learned from Azula that our father was ordered to learn how painful it was to lose his first born son." He skipped over how Azula acted satisfied about what their father intended to do because Zuko wanted to keep Azula safe from Suki. Who knew how she would react that a sister showed indifference towards her brother's potential death.

Suki's eyes widen in horror that a grandfather would be content with ordering the death of his own grandchild. "What did your father do? Do he disobey?"

"If only" Zuko said sadly. "From what I understand, he was perfectly willing to go along with it." Each of the Kyoshi Warriors reacted with horror and disgust at the idea of a father being perfectly willing to murder his own son. They could have believed that Zuko was making this up but given the sad sincerity in his voice, they knew he was telling the truth.

"But how were you spared?" Suki asked before sitting down across Zuko. She eyed him in empathy, trying to understand the pain he felt about his father. "How did you and your sister escape the Fire Nation?"

"Well that was because of our mother, Ursa" Zuko continued. "She had a friend who was a captain of a fishing vessel and he sailed us into the southern seas as close as he could get to the Earth Kingdom without entering their waters. He then set us out on a boat so my mother can take us someplace to hide in the Earth Kingdom." He thought for a moment as to where his mother intended to go. "Now as I think about it, I think my mother intended to come _here _to Kyoshi."

Suki's eyes widen at that, wondering if it was a coincidence or fate that she and Zuko met. "I guess we were bound to meet eventually" she said bashfully, a pleasant feeling in her chest. To her embarrassment, a few of the Kyoshi Warriors giggled at the idea of she and Zuko being destined to meet.

Zuko blushed at the idea of fate bringing Suki and him together, though it seemed rather childish to think that way. "But I guess our meeting was delayed because the currents we rode turned out to be too strong, taking us south" he continued. "We were rescued by ships belonging to the Southern Water Tribe. We were taken back to their village and my mother managed to get us asylum there granted by Hakoda."

"Hakoda?" Suki asked.

"The Chief of the Southern Water Tribe and Sokka's and Katara's father" Zuko stated. After thinking for a moment, he added with a smile, "And in a way, a surrogate father to me and Azula."

Suki smiled back. "It's nice to hear you had a better father figure in your life than the current Fire Lord."

"Yeah," Zuko said with a fond smile, "Hakoda is the greatest man I know. It wasn't easy but overtime, me and Sokka became best friends, while Azula and Katara teamed up to torment us" he finished with a lopsided grin.

"And now you're here with the Avatar" Suki said. "An irony that the greatest enemy to the Fire Nation is now your friend."

"Yeah I guess so" Zuko said. "He's a good kid but he has no idea of the responsibilities of being the Avatar, which is frustrating."

"But don't you feel at least somewhat obligated to capture the Avatar for the Fire Nation?" Suki asked cautiously. She had the feeling he did not, but she mentally prepared herself to lead her warriors to defend Aang.

"No, I don't" Zuko said without hesitation, pleasantly surprising Suki. "I'll admit I have loyalty to my nation of birth, but after growing up in the Water Tribe, I just want to see my nations at peace with each other. I believe that if this war hadn't happened, then maybe me and Sokka would've been best friends without starting it with any animosity. And I think Azula and Katara feel the same way too, though they probably won't admit it if I ask" he finished with smile.

Suki now was looking at Zuko in admiration. She once believed that people of the Fire Nation, especially if they were close or related to the Fire Lord, would just want the world to fall before them. But to see someone being willing to go against their nation and help the Avatar for a greater cause?

That gave Suki _hope_.

"I'm really sorry you had to go through so much" she said sympathetically. "But it's good to hear that you want peace and balance restored to the world."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for" Zuko told her. "But I really appreciate you giving me the chance to explain myself."

Suki continued to look at Zuko in amazement but what really caught her attention was the scars over Zuko's left eye. "Sorry for being insensitive, but… how did you get those scars? Was it during your escape from your father?"

Zuko reached up to his scars, rather subconscious of them. "No I got these years later when I fell through some ice and ended up with my face being scratched deeply against the jagged edges. Thankfully, I didn't lose my eye, but I still get chills and phantom pain from that memory." As proof of that, Zuko rubbed his forearms through his long sleeve shirt in an attempt to get warm.

"I can imagine" Suki said as she watched him warm himself up. She wondered how he fell through the ice and asked, "But how did you fall through?"

"Well…" Zuko said, hesitant to say it was his fault that the ice was weak because he heated it up with his firebending. "Well I'm sure you realize that the Fire Lord is a firebending, and being a child of him…"

"Makes you a firebender as well" Suki pointed out. "It's okay."

"Really?" Zuko said astonished. He was certain everything he said would go to waste. But he was relieved that it did not.

"Yeah" Suki said with a smile. "It's actually an irony: a firebender growing up in the Southern Water Tribe."

Zuko chuckled at that. "As the Fire Lord's son no less." Suki joined him in laughing at the irony. Even some of the other warriors giggled while others smiled at that, but they were happy just as much as their leader about the Fire Lord's children being some of his greatest enemies.

"Say," Suki said with a bright smile, "how about you teach us how a firebender fights?"

"Well, I'm not the greatest firebender for that" Zuko admitted bashfully. "Everything I learned was through scrolls and books, not through a firebending master."

"But can you still teach us?" Suki inquired. "At least some of the basics?"

Zuko gave it some thought and yes he could teach the Kyoshi Warriors how a firebender fights. But he felt that he was not good enough to teach anyone about firebending, as it took him quite some time to get where he was.

Yet he did not get where he was because of only his determination. It was because he had help.

Azula's help.

"There's actually someone who's a far better firebender than me" Zuko said. "And she's not too far from here."

Suki's eyes widen. "You mean your sister."

"Yeah" Zuko said. "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be at the level I am now."

"That's quite humble of you" Suki said. "But I have the feeling she doesn't like me or my warriors much."

"She's just like that because she's wary of strangers" Zuko explained. "It's nothing personal."

"Well, if you say so" Suki conceded. She and her warriors needed to know how a firebender fights; they will need that knowledge if they have to fight in this war.

And it was only a matter of time before they got involved.

"Uh… hey, Suki" a hesitant voice said at the dojo's doorway.

Zuko, Suki and the warriors turned and saw Sokka walk it, looking a bit submissive in contrast to his arrogance from before.

"Hoping for another dance lesson?" Suki said with mockery.

"No…" Sokka started, but he was not sure how to put his apology into proper words, "I… well, let me explain."

"Spit it out already!" Suki said in irritation. She had no appetite to deal with his arrogance again. "What do you want this time?"

Sokka was taken aback by her anger, but he knew he deserved it. He knelt down in humility. "I would be honored if you would teach me."

Suki raised an eyebrow. "Even if I'm a _girl_?"

"I'm sorry that I insulted you earlier" Sokka said softly. "It was wrong and dishonorable of me."

"We normally don't teach outsiders, let along boys" Suki declared.

"Please make an exception" Sokka requested. "I won't let you down."

Suki was silent for a moment, as an idea came to her mind to how to really drive home the lesson that women can be just as capable as men when it comes to being warriors.

"All right" she finally said. "But you have to follow all of our traditions."

"Of course!" Sokka said quickly.

"And I mean ALL of them" Suki said with a mean smile.

Within short order, Suki was instructing Sokka on how to put on the uniform inspired by Avatar Kyoshi's battle dress, including the intimidating war paint. Sokka clearly showed discomfort at the process.

"Do I really have to wear this?" he pleaded as he looked himself over. "It feels a little… girly." Zuko snickered at how uncomfortable Sokka looked.

"It's a warrior's uniform" Suki lectured. "You should be proud to be allowed to wear it. The silk thread symbolizes the brave blood that flows through our veins. The gold insignia represents the honor of our warrior's heart."

Sokka stood proudly. "Bravery and honor."

"Hey Sokka!" he heard Aang squeal. "Nice dress!" Zuko took a step towards Aang, feeling slighted that the Avatar disrespected his past life's battle dress. But Aang was already running away, giggling all the way.

"I swear that kid…" Zuko grumbled.

Suki giggled. "He's being just that. I'm sure he knows better."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure" a female voice said. Zuko's blood ran cold as he watched Azula stepped into the dojo. She eyed Sokka for a moment before smirking. "It's true, he _is _in a dress."

"It's a warrior's uniform!" Sokka shouted.

Azula raised her hands defensively. "Whatever you say. I make no judgements on your lifestyle." She then looked over Zuko, noticing that he was not wearing the uniform, but he did had a nervous look. "Not playing dress up Zuzu?"

"'Zuzu'?" Suki asked with a smile. She had a feeling he did not like that name, and while she found it rather cute, she would not use it if he did not want her to.

"She's been calling that for years" Sokka said smugly. "He's never liked it his whole life."

"Including back in the Fire Nation?" Suki asked innocently.

One could hear a pin drop in the room. Zuko's blood froze in his veins while Sokka took an involuntary step back, knowing _exactly _how Azula would react because the cat-owl was out of the bag.

"Fire Nation?" Azula said innocently to Suki. "I don't know what you're talking about." She turned and looked at Zuko with a meaningful glare. "Do you know what she's talking about Zuzu?"

If Zuko had a choice between feeding himself to the unagi or facing Azula's wrath, he would choose the unagi. But he knew, or rather hoped, that Suki would explain that she and her warriors would have no hostile intention towards Azula given what happened in her and Zuko lives.

Against his better judgment, he chose Azula's potential wrath.

"I, uh, told them" he said nervously.

"Told them what?" Azula asked.

"You know, our story" Zuko replied. "Where we're from, how we got to the Southern Water Tribe and…" He gulped and hesitated and he saw the rage burn in Azula's eyes, but she would get the truth out of him one way or another. Hopefully, she would be merciful if he confessed. "I told them we're the Fire Lord's children."

If one could have heard a pin drop in the room from earlier, they can now hear the dust settle. Azula glared coldly at Zuko, who wanted nothing more than to run into the bay and find the unagi.

"You. Fucking. IDIOT!" Azula shouted at Zuko. He recoiled and fell on his butt, fearful of what Azula would do next. "Do you have any idea how _stupid _you can be?! You've done some pretty dumb shit before Dum-Dum, but this takes-!"

"Wait!" Suki shouted. Azula looked at her with daggers, but the warrior was undaunted by her. "I forced his hand after figuring out you and he were from the Fire Nation! And you have my word that my warriors and I hold no ill feelings towards you after he explained everything you went through!"

"Even if we're the Fire Lord's children?" Azula said.

"When they're allied with the Avatar instead of him? Yes, we see_ you_ as our allies too" Suki said with conviction.

Azula stared at the warrior leader, seeing how she held no ill intent towards her. But Azula was still angry at Zuko for folding under pressure and be foolish enough to tell their story.

"Alright" Azula finally said. "As long as the rest of the village doesn't know about who we really are, I'll be content with you being our allies."

Suki gave her a friendly smile. "You have my word, we'll tell no one, not even our village leader."

"Really now?" Azula said with a slight smirk.

"Yes" Suki said, though she did not like the feeling of keeping secrets from Oyagi, it was not the first time she did it. "If he knew he might not listen to reason that having you as allies would be beneficial to the Avatar."

Azula eyed the warrior, unsure if she could trust her completely. But Suki seemed sincere and Azula can give her the benefit of the doubt.

For now.

"Very well then, I appreciate your kindness" she said, causing Suki and Sokka to exhale. But the same could not be said for Zuko as Azula glared at him. "And I'll deal with you later Zuzu" she said dangerously.

Azula walked away from him and looked over Sokka with more scrutiny. "I have to admit," she began, "if someone were to put a dress and makeup on him cannot be that bad."

Suki laughed at Azula's remark. "He wanted to learn how to fight from us, so we made him follow ALL of our traditions."

Azula smirked at Sokka, who groaned at how he was never going to live this down. "Well you have your work cut out for you; this oaf couldn't fight his way out of a tent with the flap wide open."

Suki laughed at Azula's description of Sokka's fighting ability, knowing it to be true. "I've worked with less. We'll whip him into shape."

"I think beating him into shape would be more effective" Azula said with a slight malicious smirk, causing Sokka to growl at her.

"Say," Suki began, "we asked Zuko to explain to us how a firebender fights and he said you would be a better teacher."

"Really now?" Azula said curiously.

"Yeah, he said you're a far better firebender than him" Suki replied.

"Oh he's right about that, as dumb as he can be" Azula said before eyeing Zuko. She mused over cutting him some slack for his stupidity, but where would the fun be in that?

"Alright I can teach you" Azula said before smirking. "On one condition."

Before long, Zuko was dressed up just like Sokka in the Kyoshi Warrior uniform, right down to the makeup. He was honored to be allowed to wear it, but he was taken aback by how unrestrictive it felt around his groin.

"Here I thought the makeup would cover up those scars completely" Azula mused after seeing Zuko's scars were still visible under the war paint. "Guess I was wrong." Zuko frowned at her but said nothing, feeling privileged to wear the uniform.

"Well he's ready" Suki said. "Why did you want him to wear our uniform?"

Azula smirked at her. "To help with teaching you how to fight a firebender."

To help drive her lessons home, Azula used Zuko as her teaching instrument when it came to countering a firebender. It did not long before Suki and her warriors were visualizing themselves in Zuko's place. Azula went over how a firebender's main strength came from their breath and if they were short of breath, their attacks will become weaker or outright stopped. Their emotions also played a part; if a firebender has self-control, they are a dangerous opponent, but if they let their emotions get the better of them, they may become reckless and potentially prone to tunnel vision. As for manipulating their element, firebenders use swift and whirling movements and had little defensive stances, requiring them to be on a continued offensive if they wish to win the fight.

"A lot of those movements leave your legs vulnerable" Suki noted.

"They do, but most firebenders learn to compensate for that" Azula lectured. "The best thing to do is to close the distance so that can't firebend without burning you _and _them."

"We can do that" Suki said. "Our tactics require us to move fast and close in on our opponents and use their force against them."

"Then I believe you should do just fine" Azula said before looking at Sokka. "You should spend the rest of the day trying to show this oaf how to stand up in a fight." Sokka scowled at her, making Azula smirk in delight.

Suki laughed softly. "Don't worry, I'll whip him into shape."

"I'm sure you can" Azula said before turning to leave the dojo. As she walked past Zuko, she suddenly grabbed him by the ear and dragged him outside. The Kyoshi Warriors stared in a bit of shock at Azula's strength but Sokka only snickered a bit, being reminded how Katara would drag him by the ear back in their village from time to time.

After stepping outside, Azula let go of Zuko, who rubbed his ear. He grimaced not out of pain but what was coming to him.

"Look Azula I know-" he began before being cut off.

"Save it" Azula sternly said. "You know what you did, I'm just here to remind you that you cannot go around and tell people who we really are. Not everyone is going to take as well as they did" she finished as she cocked her head towards the dojo. "So next time Zuko, lie."

"You know I was never good at that" he said.

"Then let me handle the explanation of where we're from" Azula said. "You know how convincing I can be" she finished with a proud smile.

"You mean being a liar right?" Zuko said with a lopsided smile.

"Me?" Azula said in feign innocence. "A liar? I would never do such a thing Zuzu."

Zuko chuckled. "Sure you would Azula, sure you would." Azula chuckled before walking away. Zuko wondered for a moment if things would have been different, that if they grew up in the Fire Nation like they were meant to, would they still be the brother and sister they are now?

He quickly brushed that thought aside when he felt his chest tighten and his heart ache in a way that felt wrong.

After finishing preparing their food supply for the next leg of their journey, Katara decided to practice her waterbending at the inn. She carefully controlled the water by flowing from one stance to the next. After years of practicing and developing her own style of waterbending she can control the water well enough to defend herself, though she still longed to train under a true master waterbender.

She heard someone enter the room and noticed it was Aang, who leaned against the doorway with a cocky stance.

"Katara, remember how the unagi almost got me yesterday?" he asked smugly.

Katara continued with her movements. "Yeah" she said nonchalantly.

"Well, I'm gonna ride it now. It's gonna be REAL dangerous" Aang said with uncharacteristic arrogance. In his mind he was trying to get a worried reaction out of Katara.

"Good for you" she said to his surprise. After how Aang claimed he was a simple monk and then basked in how the village girls fawned over him, she was rather upset and disappointed.

"You're not going to stop me?" he asked.

"Nope" she said, not sparing a glace in his direction. "Have fun."

Aang crossed his arms peevishly. "I will."

"Great" Katara replied annoyed.

"I know it's great" Aang countered with a pout.

"I'm glad you know" Katara said with, more annoyed than before.

"I'm glad you're glad" Aang said in his own annoyance.

"Good!" Katara shouted, not wanting to bicker with Aang anymore over being stupid.

"Fine!" Aang shouted back before walking away. But he glanced over his shoulder and saw Katara's back to him as she continued with her waterbending. He looked down at the ground and walked away feeling rather sad.

Katara continued to bend and when she turned toward the door Aang stood in, she scowled at it in anger.

But it quickly turned into sadness and worry. She set out to stop him, but she ran into Azula instead.

"Where are you going?" Azula asked as Katara quickly put on her parka.

"Aang said he was going to ride the unagi" Katara said in a worried tone.

Azula rubbed her forehead. "I swear that kid is doing whatever he can to avoid being the Avatar."

"Well we better find him before he avoids it in a rather permanent way" Katara said as she continued to walk towards the bay. Azula sighed and followed, knowing she would be better at knocking some sense into Aang than Katara would be.

Aang was quick to get to bay and swim out to the middle of it, waiting for the unagi to come. But so far it did not show and neither did the elephant koi. He wondered if the elephant koi moved to another area and the unagi followed.

"What's taking so long?" Koko demanded impatiently.

"I'm sure it will be here any second!" Aang shouted. He looked down at the water and pulled his marbles out. "What about this?" he said as he did his trick again.

All the girls were unimpressed. "Not that again. _Boring_" one of them said.

"Where's the unagi?" Koko asked. "It's getting late." With that, the girls got up and begin walking back towards the village.

"Where're you going?" Aang said desperately. "Don't leave!"

"Sorry, Aang!" Koko shouted. "Maybe next time." She soon fell in line with the other girls, intent on getting something to eat and go to bed.

Aang stared down at the water in disappointment but perked up when he saw Katara walking onto the beach with Azula.

"Katara!" he shouted as he waved at her. "You came!"

"Azula and I wanted to make sure you were safe" Katara said. "You had us really worried."

"And for going through all that worrisome, thanks for greeting me too" Azula replied with sarcasm.

"Sorry, but it's good to see you too Azula" Aang said sheepishly. "Katara you acted like you didn't care before."

"I'm sorry for that" Katara said sincerely. "I was just upset to see how you acted from all the attention the girls gave you."

It occurred to Aang that Katara was not exactly jealous but rather hurt by how he acted. "I'm sorry too. I did let all that attention go to my head. I was being a jerk."

"Well there's some other words that would describe more accurately to how you acted," Azula said thoughtfully, "but I'll keep them to myself since it would 'disrupt my peace of mind'."

Aang chuckled at Azula's words. "Yeah, we'll just say I was being a jerk."

"Well, get out of the water before you catch a cold you big jerk!" Katara shouted affectionately, happy to know Aang realized the error of his ways as of late.

Aang smiled brightly to know Katara was not mad at him anymore, but he knew he will have to tread carefully to keep earning her affection. "On my way!" he shouted before swimming towards the shore.

But as Aang swam towards the shore, he felt something lift him out of the water. He looked down and saw the dreadfully familiar skin of the unagi's tail. It raised its head and spewed water towards Aang, who air-jumped upwards and grabbed hold of one of the unagi's whiskers. Sensing Aang, the unagi shakes its head violently back and forth to dislodge him. It suddenly stopped and Aang hung on its whisker in front of the unagi's mouth, which was open and drooling saliva in hungry anticipation.

"Hang on, Aang!" Katara shouted from the shore. Both she and Azula stared dreadfully at the unagi, not know how or if they can save Aang themselves.

The unagi started shaking its head again, finally throwing Aang from its whisker. Aang yelled as he was thrown into the water and surfaced unconscious on the surface.

"Oh-no" Azula whispered. She and Katara rushed out into the water and raced the unagi towards Aang. They managed to reach him first, but the unagi came too close, forcing Katara to waterbent a massive wave out of desperation, causing her, Aang and Azula to be propelled back towards the shore. They land harshly into a cavern but were saved by the water cushioning their landing. Katara began checking on Aang while Azula looked over the bay to see the unagi leaving, but she also saw a ship approach the island.

"Mongke" she said as she positively identified the ship. "That bastard." She turned back to Katara and Aang, the former trying to wake him up.

"Wake up, Aang!" the waterbender said desperately. She breathed deeply and reached out to sense if there was any water in his lungs. When she felt it, she moved her hand slowly to remove the water out of his lungs and through his mouth. Aang coughed violently and sputters before opening his eyes to see Katara above him.

"Katara…" he said weakly to her joy, "don't ride the unagi. Not fun."

As the girls helped Aang walk back to the village, Colonel Mongke led his Rough Rhinos onto the shore, supported by a squad of ten firebenders.

"I want all five of those kids alive" Mongke ordered.

"Even the Water Tribe kids?" Kahchi asked.

"Yes. I want to make an example of them for aiding the enemy" Mongke said with a sadistic smile.

Back at the dojo, Sokka and Zuko were holding their own and learning quickly how to fight like Kyoshi Warriors. Sokka even managed to knock Suki down at one point, though she claimed it was just to make him feel better. Sokka became full of himself but Suki brought him down to size by upping her game. She was in the middle of teaching them how to coordinate their attacks when Oyagi entered the dojo out of breath.

"Firebenders have landed on our shores!" he frantically said. "Girls, come quickly!" With that, Suki and her warriors filed out of the dojo.

"Hey, we're not…!" Sokka said to correct Oyagi that he and Zuko were not girls. "Oh, whatever!" he finished, knowing it did not matter. He followed the Kyoshi Warriors with Zuko, intending to put his newfound skills to the test.

"Come on out, Avatar!" Mongke shouted as his men tore through each building, destroying property and terrifying the villagers. "You can't hide forever!"

As Mongke and his men moved down the center street, they had no idea that the Kyoshi Warriors were stealthily moving through alleyways and across rooftops, watching and waiting for an opening.

Their opening came when the Rhinos were force to move single file through the narrow market. Suki and four of her warriors descended on the Rough Rhinos themselves, knocking them to the ground. Mongke's men reacted but were quickly put on the defensive when the Kyoshi Warriors moved in too close for the Rhinos to use their weapons. Suki took on Mongke herself, using the training Azula gave her to gain an edge. Mongke became frustrated and started to shoot flames in every direction, causing Suki to pull back. Mongke sent a fire blast at her, where she deflected it, but it still knocked her to the ground. The colonel sent a blast of fire for the killing blow, making Suki think this was the last day on earth for her…

But the colonel's fire blast was redirected back at him, causing him to be knocked down. Zuko stood stalwartly in front of Suki, intending to defend her when she cannot do it herself.

"I guess training's over" he said before helping her up and charging at Mongke. Sokka quickly joined in and approached the prone Mongke with caution. He snarled and spun himself against the ground, sending fire blasts that Zuko could not stop. Suki and her allies were forced to fall back with the other warriors, as the Rough Rhinos were regrouping with the last three firebenders, the others wounded or assisting the wounded as they fell back to the ship.

"Nice try, Avatar boy!" Mongke shouted with a smirk. "But these bitches can't protect you."

"Hey!" Mongke heard someone shout at him. He turned and saw Azula standing defiantly. "How about you pick on a bitch your own size?" she finished with a smirk.

"Get her!" Mongke ordered his men. Vachir sent a lit arrow at Azula, who dodged it with little effort and bent the flame on his bow, causing it to burn. She then sent a fire blast a Yeh-Le, setting fire to a cylinder on his belt; he frantically tried to remove it, but a small blast sent him flying into Ogodei. Kahchi was quick to close the distance but he was suddenly knock away from Azula by a gust of wind, courtesy of Aang.

Mongke snarled at how his men were put out of action by two children, regardless of how powerful they were. Aang and Azula stood their ground as he sent fire blasts at them.

"Cover me kid," Azula said as she began calming her mind, "I need to focus."

Aang continued to swat away Mongke's flames with his staff. "What are you doing?" he said as he saw Azula rotate her arms in circular motions. He got his answer soon when he saw lightning forming around her fingertips then her hands and finally her around her body. Mongke ceased his attack, both shocked and fearful that a fourteen year old girl has mastered lightning generation.

Azula stuck her fingers out towards Mongke, who could only form a shield of fire to save himself from being killed. He flew back into one of the rhinos and groaned in pain.

"How did you-?" Aang asked both shocked and amazed by Azula.

"Later" Azula said sternly. "We have to go."

As the Kyoshi Warriors fought off the invaders, Suki pulled Zuko and Sokka aside.

"You two need to find your sisters and Aang" Suki told them. "We'll hold them off as you escape."

"No" Zuko stubbornly said. He did not want to leave Suki to deal with the Rough Rhinos and their men alone. "We're not leaving."

"Zuko, we have to go" Sokka said. "Getting Aang to the North Pole is more important than this fight."

Zuko looked at him both appalled and angry. "How can you say that? How dare you say that!"

"Zuko, you know he's right" Suki pleaded. "We can hold our own here. We'll be okay."

Zuko closed his eyes, not wanting the tears to escape. "I'm sorry" he said.

Suki's face soften at that, not understanding what he meant. "For what?"

"For this whole damn war my nation started" Zuko said.

"You had nothing to do with that Zuko. You can't blame yourself for it" Suki said in sympathy.

"But I do!" Zuko said. "Maybe if I grew up in the Fire Nation…"

"Then it could be you leading this assault" Suki said, dreading the idea of that. "But you grew up in the Water Tribe for a reason." She leaned forward and kissed Zuko's scared cheek, causing him to blush. "And I believe you know why." She stood up and began to run towards the raging battle. "Now get going you two! We'll hold them off!"

Zuko remained frozen for a moment, both smitten and amazed at how Suki believed not only in the Avatar, but also _him_.

"Come on Zuko" Sokka said as he shook Zuko's shoulder. "We need to go. Right. Now!"

"Right" Zuko said, his heart pounding not only from physical exertion.

Aang and Azula ran back to the village and found Katara ushering some children to safety.

"Look what I brought to these people" Aang said, upset at himself.

"It's not your fault" Katara said in sympathy.

"Yes it is my fault" Aang said ashamed. "If we had left earlier, then maybe this village would have been spared."

"Or maybe it would have been completely destroyed" Azula pointed out. "Mongke must have heard we were here somehow; he would've came here regardless."

Aang stared at the ground in shame, knowing that one way or another, people will pay a price for helping him because he was the Avatar.

"We have to get out of here" Katara said. "Mongke and his men will leave Kyoshi to chase us. I know it feels wrong to leave but…"

"But it's the only way to protect these people" Azula continued. "By using ourselves as bait to lure Mongke away."

Aang nodded his head slowly and took off with the girls to find Appa. They met Sokka and Zuko there and together they took off into the sky. Aang looked down at the village, seeing it burning as Mongke and his men rush back to their ship.

"Back to the ship!" Mongke shouted. "Don't any of you fuckers lose sight of them!"

Katara leaned towards Aang as he directed Appa over the water. "I know it's hard," she began in a sympathetic voice, "but you're doing the right thing. They would have destroyed the whole village if we had stayed. Everything is going to be okay, Aang."

Aang furrowed his brow and without warning, dives off of Appa and into the bay, determined to right his wrong.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Zuko shouted. The teenagers watched in horror as Aang dived into the same waters as the unagi.

"He better not be killing himself out of shame" Azula growled. "Or I'll kill myself."

After what felt like an eternity, the unagi burst from the water, with Aang standing on its head and holding its whiskers. He forced the unagi's head towards the burning village and pulled on the whiskers, causing the unagi to spew water all over the community. The fires died down, saving the village from total destruction.

Even the statue of Avatar Kyoshi survived, as if it were a testament of the Avatar spirit's resolve to bring peace and balance to the world. Oyagi watched as Aang air-jumped from atop the unagi after the fires were extinguished, believing that the young man was well on his way to becoming an Avatar as great as Kyoshi.

"Thank you, Avatar" he said with sincere gratefulness.

"I know, I know" Aang said as he climbed into Appa's saddle, expecting a lengthy verbal scolding from Katara. "That was stupid and dangerous."

Katara smiled proudly at Aang. "Yes, it was" she said before moving over to tightly hug Aang. His face lit up with surprise and joy, believing that maybe he just might win Katara over.

"Such a shame that you two will no longer wear those" Azula said to Sokka and Zuko as they removed the makeup from their faces. "You two pull off the feminine uniform despite being boys."

"Very funny Azula" Sokka grumbled. He looked toward Zuko and was actually amazed that Zuko was cleaning the area where Suki kissed him. "Why are you cleaning up the spot where Suki kissed you? Don't you want her essence to stay?" he teased. Zuko's face lit up as he blushed deeply, unsure how to react to the teasing.

"Oh? Zuko has a girlfriend now?" Azula said with a smirk. For whatever reason, it felt _very_ satisfying that Suki was into Zuko.

"Well, I wouldn't say she's my girlfriend" Zuko said bashfully.

"Not yet" Aang said when he overheard the teasing. It felt relieving to hear that Zuko was interested in a girl that was not Katara. "I think you two would make a great couple Zuko."

"I have to agree with Aang for once" Azula said. "She certainly has a quality of spunk."

"Hopefully, the kind that can kick his ass" Sokka teased.

"The same kind that kicked yours?" Zuko countered with a smirk, causing everyone to laugh. Sokka shrugged his shoulder, appearing not to care.

But he had to admit, it felt nice not to be angry that he was bested by girls.

* * *

A small but fast ship lingered off coast of Kyoshi Island, as an old warrior and strategist peered through a telescope.

"It appeared that a Fire Nation naval force raided the island" Lieutenant Jee reported. "Though it seems strange there's far less damage than one would expect."

"That's because Mongke left as soon as the Avatar did" General Iroh answered. "He decided that continuing his mission is far more important than his wanton destruction. Rather uncharacteristic of the colonel." A deep pang of guilt flowed through Iroh, who often overlooked Mongke's destructive methods as long the results were achieved when the colonel served under the general years ago.

"Your orders, sir?" Jee asked.

"We continue north" Iroh replied. "My nephew will continue to head towards the North Pole, with Mongke close behind."

Jee was taken aback by how the general seemed unconcerned with Zuko traveling with the Avatar. "May I ask a question sir?"

"You have served me well enough that you can speak freely with me lieutenant" Iroh said with a soft smile. "What's on your mind?"

"I just don't understand why you seem unconcerned about the Avatar's return" Jee said carefully. "Especially since it makes your nephew and niece appear as traitors for traveling with him."

"Oh I do have my concerns about the Avatar's return" Iroh said. "Concerns I rather tell you in private." Lieutenant Jee has served Iroh since the man was a sergeant of his guard. Jee had long proven himself to be a trustworthy soldier, with a deep personal loyalty to Iroh.

"Very well sir. I'd be honored to hear your thoughts about the Avatar" Jee said intrigued by the general's trust. "Shall I have tea prepared?"

Iroh chuckled at Jee's offer. "You know that I've always preferred to brew my own tea."

"I know sir" Jee said with a smile, knowing Iroh's preference for brewing his own tea was based on humility than distrust. "But I've been working on my own brew of tea, and I'd be honored it you try it."

Iroh smiled brightly, knowing that many of his own traits have rubbed off onto the lieutenant. "I believe the honor will be mine lieutenant" he said.


End file.
